Thursday, April 29, 2021

NHL 2021 - Day 107

Ten games on for Thursday's slate, beginning with...

The Washington Capitals hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Vitek Vanecek are the goalies. Washington led off in the first period with a T.J. Oshie power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Justin Schultz and Nicklas Backstrom. Pittsburgh tied it on a Kasperi Kapanen goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. The Penguins took the lead in the second period with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his second of the season, coming off of Jason Zucker and Colton Sceviour. The Capitals retied it with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Backstrom. Washington took the lead with a Daniel Sprong goal, his eleventh of the season, via Schultz and Orlov. Pittsburgh tied it again with a Zach Aston-Reese goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Sceviour. The Penguins took the lead with a Kapanen goal, his second of the game and tenth of the season, made possible by Jared McCann and Jeff Carter. The Capitals tied it again with a Tom Wilson goal, his twelfth of the year, helped along by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Backstrom. Pittsburgh won 5-4 in overtime with a Jake Guentzel goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, with helpers from John Marino and McCann. The three stars were Kapanen, McCann, and Sceviour, while Backstrom, Orlov, and Schultz get the honorable mentions.

Onward to New York, as the Rangers welcome the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and Igor Shesterkin are the Russian goalies. The Islanders began in the first period with a Leo Komarov goal, guided in by Jordan Eberle and Nick Leddy. The Islanders added on with an Oliver Wahlstrom power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Brock Nelson and Josh Bailey. The Islanders extended the lead in the second period as Anthony Beauvillier scored his eleventh of the year, thanks to Scott Mayfield and Nelson. The Islanders iced it at 4-0 with a Mathew Barzal empty net goal in the third period, his fourteenth of the campaign, set up by Mayfield. The three stars were Varlamov (25 save shutout), Nelson, and Mayfield.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning bring in the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the masked men. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with an Ondrej Palat goal, his fifteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Lightning added on in the third period with a Blake Coleman shorthanded penalty shot goal, his twelfth of the year. Tampa Bay iced it at 3-0 with a Brayden Point empty net goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, set up by Vasilevskiy. The three stars were Vasilevksiy (20 save shutout), Palat, and Coleman.

Back north, the Boston Bruins host the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Tuukka Rask are the Finnish goalies. Boston opened in the first period with a David Pastrnak goal, his nineteenth of the season, assisted by Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Buffalo tied it with a Casey Mittelstadt goal, his tenth of the year, via Arttu Ruotsalainen and Rasmus Asplund. The Bruins retook the lead with a David Krejci power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Charlie McAvoy and Craig Smith. The Sabres retied it in the third period with a Sam Reinhart goal, his twenty-third of the year, guided in by Victor Olofsson and Jeff Skinner. Boston retook the lead with a Charlie Coyle goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. The Bruins added on with a Taylor Hall goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Krejci and Smith. Boston iced it at 5-2 with a Marchand empty net goal, his twenty-seventh of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Krejci, Marchand, and Smith.

Backtracking to Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer are set to start in goal. Carolina got going in the second period with a Brady Skjei goal, his third of the season, assisted by Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen. The Hurricanes added on with a Warren Foegele goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Brett Pesce. Detroit got on the board with a Jakub Vrana goal, his seventeenth of the season, going in unassisted. Carolina replied in the third period with a Teravainen goal, his third of the year, fueled by Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Teravainen, Aho, and Reimer (16 for 17 in saves).

Along to New Jersey, as the Devils bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Alex Lyon and MacKenzie Blackwood are in the blue paint. New Jersey started in the first period with a Yegor Sharangovich power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, made possible by Will Butcher and Damon Severson. The Devils added on with another Sharangovich power play goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, with helpers from Severson and Janne Kuokkanen. Philadelphia got on the board in the second period with a shorthanded Scott Laughton goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. New Jersey replied with a Jesper Boqvist goal, his third of the year, guided in by Nicholas Merkley and Mikhail Maltsev. The Flyers got one back with a Sean Couturier goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Justin Braun and Jakub Voracek. The Devils fired back in the third period with a Pavel Zacha goal, his thirteenth of the year, coming off of Will Butcher and Jesper Bratt. New Jersey extended the lead with a Bratt empty net goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Zacha and Ryan Murray. Philadelphia got one back with a Travis Konecny power play goal, his tenth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Voracek. This made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars being Sharangovich, Zacha, and Severson, while Butcher, Bratt, and Voracek get the honorable mentions.

In Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Vancouver Canucks. Braden Holtby and David Rittich received the starting nods in goal. Toronto kicked off the scoring in the first period with a William Nylander goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Alex Galchenyuk and John Tavares. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period with an Auston Matthews goal, his thirty-sixth of the year, made possible by Mitchell Marner and Joe Thornton. Toronto extended the lead as Pierre Engvall scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Rasmus Sandin and Jason Spezza. Vancouver got on the board with a J.T. Miller power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Quinn Hughes and Bo Horvat. The Maple Leafs continued with a Marner goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, fueled by Alexander Kerfoot. The three stars of the 4-1 game were Marner, Matthews, and Rittich (15 for 16 in saves).

Stateside to Chicago, as the Blackhawks welcome the Florida Panthers. Spencer Knight and Kevin Lankinen patrol the creases. Chicago was first to score in the first period with an Adam Gaudette goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik. Florida tied it in the second period with an Alex Wennberg power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by MacKenzie Weegar and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Blackhawks retook the lead on a Vinnie Hinostroza goal, his third of the season, via Brandon Hagel and Kirby Dach. The Panthers tied it again with an Anthony Duclair goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Brandon Montour and Grigori Denisenko. Florida pulled ahead on a Montour goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Wennberg and Markus Nutivaara. Chicago tied it again with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, made possible by Patrick Kane and Wyatt Kalynuk. The Panthers won 4-3 in overtime with a Sam Bennett goal, his ninth of the campaign, courtesy of Weegar. The three stars were Weegar, Wennberg, and Montour.

Up in Minnesota, the Wild bring in the St. Louis Blues. Ville Husso and Cam Talbot are between the pipes. St. Louis drew first blood in the first period with a Sammy Blais goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Torey Krug and Jaden Schwartz. The Blues added on in the second period with a Tyler Bozak shorthanded goal, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. St. Louis extended the lead as Marco Scandella scored his third of the season, with the help of Jordan Kyrou. Minnesota got on the board with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Marcus Foligno and Jordan Greenway. The Wild got closer in the third period with a Kevin Fiala goal, his eighteenth of the season, helped along by Victor Rask. The Blues shot back with a Ryan O'Reilly power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by David Perron and Krug. Minnesota shot back on a Rask goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Fiala and Carson Soucy. The Wild tied it on a Kirill Kaprizov goal, his twenty-third of the year, with helpers from Fiala and Jared Spurgeon. St. Louis won 5-4 in overtime on an O'Reilly goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the campaign, helped along by Kyrou. The three stars were O'Reilly, Fiala, and Kyrou, while Krug and Rask get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Mike Smith tend the twines. Calgary cracked the scoresheet in the first period with an Elias Lindholm goal, his sixteenth of the season, via Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau. Edmonton tied it on a James Neal goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Kris Russell and Josh Archibald. The Flames retook the lead in the second period on a Lindholm goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, assisted by Rasmus Andersson and Tkachuk. Calgary added on in the third period with a Dillon Dube goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Milan Lucic and Andersson. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars handed to Lindholm, Markstrom (30 for 31 in saves), and Tkachuk, while Andersson gets an honorable mention. 

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Wednesday, April 28, 2021

NHL 2021 - Day 106

Seven games on for Wednesday's schedule, beginning with...

The Ottawa Senators hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Marcus Hogberg are the backups in goal. Ottawa led off in the first period with a Victor Mete goal, assisted by Alex Formenton and Shane Pinto. The Senators added on in the second period with a Chris Tierney goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Thomas Chabot and Connor Brown. Ottawa extended the lead as Josh Norris scored his fifteenth of the year, thanks to Brady Tkachuk. Vancouver got on the board with a Tyler Myers goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Olli Juolevi and Nils Hoglander. The Senators shot back with a Chabot goal, his fifth of the year, fueled by Nick Paul and Formenton. The Canucks answered with a Jake Virtanen goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Tyler Motte. Ottawa responded with a Tkachuk goal, his sixteenth of the year, guided in by Drake Batherson and Erik Brannstrom. The Senators padded the lead with a Colin White empty net goal in the third period, his tenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. Vancouver got one back with a Quinn Hughes goal, his fourth of the campaign, from Myers. This made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars going to Tkachuk, Chabot, and Formenton, while Myers gets an honorable mention.

Stateside, the Minnesota Wild welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Cam Talbot guard the cages. Minnesota began in the first period with a Jonas Brodin goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Marcus Foligno and Jordan Greenway. The Wild added on in the second period with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his sixteenth of the year, via Greenway. St. Louis got on the board with a Mike Hoffman power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Vladimir Tarasenko and David Perron. Minnesota replied with a Foligno goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Matt Dumba. The Blues pulled back in the third period with another Hoffman power play goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, with assists provided by Perron and Torey Krug. St. Louis tied it with a Jordan Kyrou goal, his eleventh of the year, coming off of Robert Thomas. The Blues won 4-3 with a Thomas goal, his third of the campaign, assisted by Hoffman and Kyrou. The three stars were Hoffman, Thomas, and Kyrou, while Perron, Foligno, and Greenway get the honorable mentions.

Back in Canada, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack Campbell and Jake Allen are the goalies. Toronto opened in the first period with a William Nylander power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Mitchell Marner and Morgan Rielly. The Maple Leafs added on with an Auston Matthews goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, fueled by Nick Foligno and Rielly. Toronto extended the lead as Jake Muzzin scored his third of the season, with the help of Jason Spezza and Joe Thornton. Montreal got on the board with a Nick Suzuki goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Jeff Petry and Joel Edmundson. The Maple Leafs answered in the third period with an Adam Brooks goal, his third of the season, helped along by Spezza and Justin Holl. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Rielly, Spezza, and Matthews.

Over in Winnipeg, the Jets host the Edmonton Oilers. Mikko Koskinen and Connor Hellebuyck tend the twines. Edmonton started in the first period with a Tyson Barrie power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Winnipeg tied it in the second period with a Blake Wheeler goal, his eleventh of the year, via Andrew Copp. The Oilers retook the lead in the second period with a Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, with helpers from Barrie and McDavid. Edmonton iced it at 3-1 with a Leon Draisaitl empty net goal in the third period, his twenty-fourth of the year, set up by McDavid and Darnell Nurse. The three stars belonged to McDavid, Barrie, and Nugent-Hopkins.

Next up, the Vegas Golden Knights welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Devan Dubnyk and Marc-Andre Fleury are the masked men. Vegas struck first in the first period with a William Karlsson goal, his thirteenth of the season, courtesy of Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez. Colorado tied it on a Devon Toews goal, his seventh of the year, via Carl Soderberg. The Golden Knights retook the lead in the second period with a Max Pacioretty power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Shea Theodore and Mark Stone. Vegas added on with a Stone goal, his nineteenth of the year, assisted by Chandler Stephenson and Pacioretty. The Avalanche got one back on a Ryan Graves goal, his second of the season, coming off of Nathan MacKinnon. The Golden Knights replied in the third period with a Pacioretty goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, helped along by Stone. Colorado iced it at 5-2 with a Jonathan Marchessault empty net goal, his fourteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Pacioretty, Stone, and Fleury (35 for 37 in saves).

To Los Angeles, as the Kings bring in the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Calvin Petersen are the netminders. Los Angeles got going in the second period with a Gabriel Vilardi power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Trevor Moore and Adrian Kempe. The Kings added on with a shorthanded Kempe goal, his fourteenth of the year, set up by Mikey Anderson and Matt Roy. Anaheim got on the board with a Sam Carrick goal, his second of the season, fueled by Alexander Volkov and Haydn Fleury. The Ducks tied it with a Sam Steel goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Rickard Rakell. Anaheim took the lead in the third period with a Cam Fowler goal, his fifth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Gibson (28 for 30 in saves), Fowler, and Steel.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Arizona Coyotes. Darcy Kuemper faces a lesser foe in Josef Korenar in goal. San Jose kicked off the scoring in the first period with an Evander Kane goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Alexander Barabanov and Tomas Hertl. The Sharks added on with a Rudolfs Balcers goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist by Logan Couture and John Leonard. San Jose extended the lead as Kevin Labanc scored his eleventh of the season, thanks to Alexander True and Noah Gregor. Arizona got on the board with a Phil Kessel goal, his eighteenth of the year, passed from Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller. The Coyotes got closer in the second period with a Johan Larsson goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Niklas Hjalmarsson and Dryden Hunt. The Sharks iced it at 4-2 with a Hertl empty net goal, his fifteenth of the year, set up by Mario Ferraro and Couture. The three stars went to Hertl, Couture, and Labanc. 

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Tuesday, April 27, 2021

NHL 2021 - Day 105

Eight games on today, beginning with...

The Washington Capitals hosting the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Vitek Vanecek are the young goalies. Washington led off in the first period with a Daniel Sprong goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Dmitry Orlov. This held up as a 1-0 win for the Capitals, with the three stars awarded to Vanecek (18 save shutout), Sprong, and Sorokin (32 for 33 in saves).

Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Tristan Jarry are the goalies. Boston dented the scoreboard in the second period with a David Krejci goal, his seventh of the season, via Charlie McAvoy and the goalie Rask. The Bruins added on with a Brad Marchand goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, assisted by David Pastrnak and Curtis Lazar. Boston extended the lead as Taylor Hall scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Krejci and Mike Reilly. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Jeff Carter goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Kris Letang and Kasperi Kapanen. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars being Krejci, Rask (25 for 26 in saves), and Marchand.

To New Jersey, as the Devils host the Philadelphia Flyers. Brian Elliott and MacKenzie Blackwood are in goal. New Jersey began in the first period with a Nico Hischier power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Jack Hughes and Pavel Zacha. The Devils added on in the second period with a Zacha power play goal, his twelfth of the year, with assists provided by Hughes and Ty Smith. New Jersey extended the lead as Miles Wood scored his seventeenth of the season, going in unassisted. Philadelphia got on the board with an Oskar Lindblom goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Jackson Cates and Nolan Patrick. The Flyers pulled closer in the third period with a Philippe Myers goal, going in unassisted. Philadelphia tied it on a Claude Giroux goal, his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Jakub Voracek and Robert Hagg. The Devils regained the lead on a Connor Carrick goal, guided in by Smith and Michael McLeod. The Flyers retied it on a Sean Couturier goal, his fifteenth of the year, going in unassisted. New Jersey restored the lead with a Yegor Sharangovich goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Janne Kuokkanen. The Devils iced it at 6-4 with a Mikhail Maltsev empty net goal, his sixth of the year, set up by McLeod. The three stars were Zacha, Hughes, and Smith, while McLeod gets an honorable mention.

Next up, the New York Rangers bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is mismatched with Igor Shesterkin in goal. New York got going in the second period with a Brendan Smith goal, his fifth of the season, going in unassisted. Buffalo tied it on a Sam Reinhart power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Casey Mittelstadt. The Rangers took the lead with an Alexis Lafreniere goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Ryan Strome and Adam Fox in the third period. New York added on with a Mika Zibanejad power play goal, his twentieth of the year, with assists provided by Chris Kreider and Strome. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Strome, Lafreniere, and Shesterkin (36 for 37 in saves).

West to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets host the Detroit Red Wings. Thomas Greiss and Elvis Merzlikins man the nets. The game remained scoreless into the shootout, where Patrik Laine and Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied to give the Blue Jackets a 1-0 win. The three stars belonged to Merzlikins (41 save shutout), Greiss (33 save "shutout"), and Laine.

Down in Nashville, the Predators welcome the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Juuse Saros guard the cages. Nashville started in the first period with a Ryan Ellis goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Mattias Ekholm. Florida tied it on an Aleksander Barkov power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, powered by Keith Yandle and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Panthers retook the lead with an Anthony Duclair power play goal in the second period, his seventh of the season, with assists provided by Huberdeau and Sam Bennett. The Predators tied it on a Luke Kunin goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Calle Jarnkrok and Mikael Granlund. Nashville took the lead with a Tanner Jeannot goal, his third of the season, passed from Roman Josi and Colton Sissons. Florida retied it on another Barkov goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, helped along by Owen Tippett and MacKenzie Weegar. The Predators reclaimed the lead with Ellis' second goal of the game and fifth of the season, assisted by Matt Duchene and Nick Cousins. Spencer Knight replaced Bobrovsky in goal in the third period. The Panthers tied it again in the third period with a Tippett goal, his sixth of the year, with helpers from Huberdeau and Bennett. Florida gained the lead with a Frank Vatrano goal, his eighteenth of the season, courtesy of Alex Wennberg and Aleksi Heponiemi. The Panthers added on with a Huberdeau power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, made possible by Barkov and Bennett. Florida iced it at 7-4 with an awarded goal for Huberdeau, his second of the game and eighteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Huberdeau, Barkov, and Bennett, while Tippett and Ellis get the honorable mentions.

Along to Chicago, as the Blackhawks host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Kevin Lankinen are the masked men. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with an Erik Cernak goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. The Lightning added on with a Yanni Gourde goal, his seventeenth of the year, made possible by Mikhail Sergachev and Blake Coleman. Chicago got on the board with a Brandon Hagel goal, his eighth of the season, via Kirby Dach. Tampa Bay responded with an Alex Barre-Boulet goal, his second of the year, fueled by Ondrej Palat and Brayden Point. The Blackhawks got one back with a Wyatt Kalynuk goal, his fourth of the season, an unassisted goal. Malcolm Subban replaced Lankinen in goal to start the second period. The Lightning fired back in the second period with a Point goal, his twenty-first of the year, assisted by Palat. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Coleman scored his eleventh of the season, with the help of Tyler Johnson and Barclay Goodrow. The Lightning padded the lead on an Alex Killorn power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Sergachev and Point. Chicago got one back with a Duncan Keith goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Patrick Kane and Vinnie Hinostroza. The Blackhawks pulled closer in the third period with a Dominik Kubalik power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, with assists provided by Kane and Alex DeBrincat. Tampa Bay iced it at 7-4 with a Killorn goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the campaign, passed from Cernak. The final was 7-4, with the three stars going to Point, Cernak, and Coleman, while Killorn, Palat, Sergachev, and Kane get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Dallas Stars bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Alex Nedeljkovic and Anton Khudobin are in the creases. Carolina struck first in the first period with a Jordan Staal power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. The Hurricanes added on with an Aho goal, his twenty-first of the year, helped along by Brett Pesce and Svechnikov. Carolina extended the lead in the second period as Staal scored on the power play again, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, with the help of Aho and Svechnikov. Dallas got on the board with a Jason Robertson goal, his fifteenth of the year, guided in by Roope Hintz. The Hurricanes replied in the third period with a Max McCormick goal, his second of the season, assisted by Morgan Geekie and Steven Lorentz. Carolina padded the lead with a Nino Niederreiter goal, his eighteenth of the year, passed from Staal. The final was 5-1, with the three stars awarded to Staal, Aho, and Svechnikov. 

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Monday, April 26, 2021

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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Sunday, April 25, 2021

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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Saturday, April 24, 2021

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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Friday, April 23, 2021

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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