NHL 2021 - Playoff Day 3

Three games on for today, beginning with...

The Washington Capitals hosting the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Craig Anderson man the nets. Boston led off in the first period with a Jake DeBrusk goal, his second of the postseason, assisted by Charlie Coyle and Nick Ritchie. Washington tied it on a T.J. Oshie power play goal, powered by Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson. The Bruins took the lead back with a Patrice Bergeron goal, coming off of David Pastrnak. The Capitals retied it on a Garnet Hathaway goal, via Dmitry Orlov and Lars Eller. Washington pulled ahead with Hathaway's second goal of the game in the third period, courtesy of Orlov and Carl Hagelin. Boston tied it with a Taylor Hall goal, helped along by Craig Smith and Matt Grzelcyk. The Bruins won 4-3 in overtime on a Brad Marchand goal, passed from David Krejci and Grzelcyk. The three stars were Hathaway, Grzelcyk, and Marchand. The series heads to Boston tied at 1-1.

Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Alex Nedeljkovic are in the creases. Nashville began in the first period with a Filip Forsberg goal, fueled by Ryan Johansen and Ryan Ellis. Carolina tied it on a Teuvo Teravainen goal, via Brett Pesce and Steven Lorentz. The Hurricanes took the lead in the second period with a Jordan Staal goal, made possible by Pesce. The Predators retied it with an Erik Haula goal, guided in by Matt Duchene and Alexandre Carrier. Carolina reclaimed the lead in the third period with a Nino Niederreiter goal, coming off of Martin Necas and Vincent Trocheck. The Hurricanes added on with another Staal goal, his second of the game, going in unassisted. Carolina iced it at 5-2 with an Andrei Svechnikov empty net goal, an unassisted goal. The three stars were Staal, Pesce, and Niederreiter. 

Out in Colorado, the Avalanche bring in the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Philipp Grubauer guard the cages. Colorado struck first in the first period with a Cale Makar power play goal, powered by Mikko Rantanen. St. Louis tied it in the second period with a Jordan Kyrou goal, coming off of Ivan Barbashev and Robert Thomas. The Avalanche took the lead back with a Nathan MacKinnon, via Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. Colorado added on with a Landeskog, guided in by MacKinnon and Samuel Girard. The Avalanche iced it at 4-1 with a MacKinnon empty net goal, his second of the game, set up by Landeskog. The three stars were MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Rantanen. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 124/Playoff Day 2

There's four games on today, with the first three being playoff contests. First up...

The Pittsburgh Penguins host the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Tristan Jarry are in goal. New York opened in the first period with a Kyle Palmieri goal, via Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Noah Dobson. Pittsburgh tied it on a Frederick Gaudreau goal, coming off of Evan Rodrigues. The Penguins took the lead in the second period with a Sidney Crosby goal, fueled by Brian Dumoulin and Jake Guentzel. The Islanders tied it again with a Pageau goal, courtesy of Scott Mayfield. New York took the lead with a Brock Nelson goal, guided in by Anthony Beauvillier and Ryan Pulock. Pittsburgh retied it on a Kasperi Kapanen goal, assisted by Jeff Carter and Cody Ceci. The Islanders won 4-3 in overtime with Palmieri's second goal of the game, with helpers from Pageau and Oliver Wahlstrom. The three stars were Palmieri, Pageau, and Nelson. 

Out in Nevada, the Vegas Golden Knights welcome the Minnesota Wild. Cam Talbot and Marc-Andre Fleury man the nets. Minnesota won 1-0 in overtime with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, courtesy of Marcus Foligno and Jordan Greenway. The three stars were Eriksson Ek, Talbot (42 save shutout), and Fleury (29 for 30 in saves). 

To Florida, where the Panthers bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky are the Russian goalies. Tampa Bay started in the first period with a Blake Coleman shorthanded goal, set up by Yanni Gourde and Ryan McDonagh. Florida tied it on an Aleksander Barkov power play goal, powered by Jonathan Huberdeau and Keith Yandle. The Panthers took the lead with a Carter Verhaeghe goal, coming off of Barkov and Yandle. The Lightning tied it in the second period with a Nikita Kucherov power play goal, with assists provided by Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos. Tampa Bay pulled ahead with a Kucherov goal, his second of the game, fueled by Hedman. Florida retied it in the third period with a Huberdeau goal, courtesy of Sam Bennett and Owen Tippett. The Panthers gained the lead on a Tippett goal, via Huberdeau and Bennett. The Lightning evened the score again with a Brayden Point power play goal, helped along by Kucherov and Hedman. Tampa Bay went ahead with a Point goal, his second of the game, set up by McDonagh. This made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars going to Kucherov, Point, and Huberdeau, while Hedman, McDonagh, Barkov, Tippett, Bennett, and Yandle get the honorable mentions.

Finally, in regular-season action, the Vancouver Canucks host the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Braden Holtby are the masked men. Calgary struck first in the first period with an unassisted Josh Leivo goal, his sixth of the season. The Flames added on in the second period with a Milan Lucic goal, his tenth of the year, via Leivo and Michael Stone. Calgary extended the lead as Matthew Tkachuk scored his thirteenth of the season, thanks to Elias Lindholm and Johnny Gaudreau. The Flames padded the lead with an Andrew Mangiapane goal, his fifteenth of the year, courtesy of Dillon Dube and Mikael Backlund. Vancouver got on the board with a Travis Hamonic goal, his second of the season, assisted by Quinn Hughes. Calgary shot back with a Mangiapane goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, guided in by Connor Mackey and Backlund. The Canucks pulled one back in the third period with a Tyler Graovac power play goal, his third of the season, powered by J.T. Miller and Hughes. Vancouver got closer with a Brock Boeser power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, with a lone helper by Hughes. The Canucks pulled closer on a Miller shorthanded goal, his fourteenth of the season, set up by Jimmy Vesey. Vancouver tied it on a Boeser goal, his twenty-second of the year, fueled by Alexander Edler and Miller. Calgary won 6-5 in overtime with a Lindholm goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, made possible by Juuso Valimaki. The three stars were Mangiapane, Lindholm, and Leivo, while Boeser, Miller, Hughes, and Backlund get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 123/Playoff Day 1

Two games today, one regular season and one playoff. First up...

The Edmonton Oilers welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Mikko Koskinen are the goalies. Edmonton led off in the first period with an Adam Larsson goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Vancouver tied it on a Bo Horvat shorthanded goal, his eighteenth of the year, set up by Tanner Pearson in the second period. The Canucks took the lead in the third period with a Matthew Highmore goal, his second of the season, courtesy of J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes. Vancouver added on with a Travis Boyd goal, his fifth of the year, via Jimmy Vesey. The Canucks extended the lead as Highmore scored his second of the game and third of the season, thanks to Brock Boeser and Miller. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars going to Highmore, Miller, and Demko (31 for 32 in saves). 

The playoffs begin with the Washington Capitals bringing in the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Vitek Vanecek are the masked men. Washington began in the first period with a Tom Wilson goal, assisted by T.J. Oshie and Daniel Sprong. Boston tied it on a Jake DeBrusk goal, via Curtis Lazar. Craig Anderson replaced an injured Vanecek. The Capitals took the lead back in the second period with a Brenden Dillon goal, coming off of Anthony Mantha and Alex Ovechkin. The Bruins tied it with a power play goal by Nick Ritchie, powered by David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy. Washington won 3-2 in overtime with a Nic Dowd goal, guided in by Oshie and Wilson. The three stars were Wilson, Oshie, and Anderson (21 for 22 in saves in relief). 

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NHL 2021 - Day 122

Just a single game on for the last day with only regular-season action. The Winnipeg Jets host the Toronto Maple Leafs, with Jack Campbell and Connor Hellebuyck in goal. Toronto struck first in the first period with a Pierre Engvall goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Ilya Mikheyev and Alex Galchenyuk. Winnipeg tied it in the second period with a Mason Appleton goal, his twelfth of the year, courtesy of Diminic Toninato and Adam Lowry. The Maple Leafs reclaimed the lead on a Mihkeyev goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Jake Muzzin and Alexander Kerfoot. The Jets tied it again with a Kyle Connor goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, fueled by Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Winnipeg pulled ahead in the third period with a Wheeler goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the season, guided in by Wheeler and Scheifele. The Jets iced it at 4-2 with a Jansen Harkins empty net goal, set up by Trevor Lewis. The three stars were Connor, Scheifele, and Wheeler, while Mikheyev gets an honorable mention. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 121

Just three games on as we march closer to the end of the regular season. First up...

The St. Louis Blues host the Minnesota Wild. Kaapo Kahkonen and Jordan Binnington protect the nets. Minnesota opened in the first period with a Nico Sturm goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Nick Bonino and Nick Bjugstad. The Wild added on with a Ryan Suter goal, his third of the year, guided in by Marcus Foligno. Minnesota extended the lead as Foligno scored his eleventh of the season, thanks to Ian Cole and Jordan Greenway. St. Louis got on the board with a Zach Sanford goal, his tenth of the year, fueled by Kyle Clifford and Niko Mikkola. The Blues got closer with a Brayden Schenn power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Ryan O'Reilly and Mike Hoffman. St. Louis tied it on a David Perron goal, his eighteenth of the year, via Ivan Barbashev and Justin Faulk. The Blues pulled ahead with another Schenn power play goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, with assists provided by Perron and Hoffman. St. Louis padded the lead in the third period with another Perron power play goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the year, helped along by Hoffman and Torey Krug. The Blues continued with a Jordan Kyrou goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Klim Kostin and Marco Scandella. St. Louis kept going with a Kyrou goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, coming off of Robert Bortuzzo and Steven Santini. This made it 7-3, the final, with the three stars going to Perron, Schenn, and Kyrou, while Hoffman and Foligno get the honorable mentions.

Over in Colorado, the Avalanche welcome the Los Angeles Kings. Troy Grosenick and Jonas Johansson draw the starts in goal. Los Angeles kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Sean Walker goal, his fifth of the season, going in unassisted. Colorado tied it in the second period on a Tyson Jost goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. The Avalanche took the lead with a Jost goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, via Conor Timmins and Rantanen. Colorado added on with a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Jayson Megna and Andre Burakovsky. The Avalanche extended the lead as Joonas Donskoi scored his seventeenth of the season, thanks to Nazem Kadri and Timmins. Colorado padded the lead with a Burakovsky power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Devon Toews and Cale Makar. The final stood at 5-1 with the three stars being Jost, Burakovsky, and Rantanen, while Timmins gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Calgary Flames bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Jacob Markstrom guard the cages. Vancouver started in the first period with a Matthew Highmore goal, assisted by Travis Hamonic and Brock Boeser. Calgary tied it with a Rasmus Andersson goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm. The Flames pulled ahead with an Andrew Mangiapane goal, his fourteenth of the year, courtesy of Nikita Nesterov and Joakim Nordstrom. Calgary added on in the third period with a Lindholm goal, his eighteenth of the season, coming off of Matthew Tkachuk and Christopher Tanev. The Flames extended the lead as Tkachuk scored his twelfth of the year on the power play, thanks to Gaudreua and Mikael Backlund. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars going to Lindholm, Gaudreau, and Tkachuk. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 120

Five games on today, beginning with...

The Montreal Canadiens hosting the Edmonton Oilers. Mike Smith and Cayden Primeau are set to start in goal. Montreal opened in the first period with a Cole Caufield goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. Edmonton tied it on an Alex Chiasson goal, his ninth of the year, via James Neal and Dmitry Kulikov. The Canadiens took the lead back with a Nick Suzuki shorthanded goal, his fourteenth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Oilers tied it again with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Tyson Barrie and Connor McDavid. Edmonton took the lead in the second period with a Draisaitl power play goal, his thirty-first of the season, with assists provided by Chiasson and McDavid. Montreal retied it in the third period with a Suzuki goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the year, fueled by Caufield. The Oilers won 4-3 in overtime with a Dominik Kahun goal, his ninth of the campaign, assisted by Draisaitl and Barrie.

Over in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen and Filip Gustavsson start in goal. Ottawa started in the first period with a Nikita Zaitsev goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Shane Pinto. Toronto tied it in the second period with a Jake Muzzin power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Joe Thornton and Alexander Kerfoot. The Senators retook the lead with a Connor Brown shorthanded goal, his twenty-first of the season, set up by Zaitsev. Ottawa added on with a Parker Kelly goal, made possible by Erik Brannstrom and Artem Anisimov. The Maple Leafs got one back with a John Tavares goal, his nineteenth of the year, courtesy of William Nylander and Muzzin. Toronto tied it in the third period with an Auston Matthews goal, his forty-first of the season, going in unassisted. The Senators won 4-3 in overtime with a Josh Norris goal, his seventeenth of the year, helped along by Brady Tkachuk. The three stars were Zaitsev, Muzzin, and Norris.

Out in San Jose, the Sharks host the Vegas Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury and Alexei Melnichuk are in the blue paint. Vegas led off in the first period with an Alex Pietrangelo goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. The Golden Knights added on with a Keegan Kolesar goal, his third of the year, via William Carrier and Nicolas Roy. Vegas extended the lead as Carrier scored his sixth of the season, made possible by Alex Tuch and William Karlsson. The Golden Knights padded the lead with a Marchessault goal, his eighteenth of the year, coming off of Smith and Zach Whitecloud. Vegas continued in the third period with a Dylan Sikura goal, passed from Mattias Janmark and Brayden McNabb. The Golden Knights struck again with another Sikura goal, his second of the game, with a lone helper from Dylan Coghlan. The three stars of the 6-0 game were Sikura, Fleury (19 save shutout), and Marchessault, while Carrier and Smith get the honorable mentions.

Back east, the St. Louis Blues bring in the Minnesota Wild. Cam Talbot and Ville Husso are the masked men. St. Louis began in the first period with an Ivan Barbashev goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of David Perron and Colton Parayko. The Blues added on with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn. St. Louis extended the lead in the second period as Torey Krug scored his second of the season, thanks to Ryan O'Reilly and Perron. The Blues padded the lead with a Perron goal, his seventeenth of the year, fueled by Krug and Justin Faulk. This held for a 4-0 win, with the three stars awarded to Perron, Krug, and Husso (31 save shutout).

Finally, the Colorado Avalanche host the Los Angeles Kings. Calvin Petersen and Philipp Grubauer tend the twines. Colorado struck first in the first period with a Joonas Donskoi power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, powered by Andre Burakovsky and Mikko Rantanen. The Avalanche added on with a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare goal, his eighth of the year, fueled by Jayson Megna and Kiefer Sherwood. Colorado extended the lead as J.T. Compher scored his eighth of the season, with the help of Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. The Avalanche padded the lead in the second period on another Compher goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, via Devon Toews and Samuel Girard. Colorado continued with a Landeskog goal, his twentieth of the season, helped along by Toews and Rantanen. The Avalanche struck again when Compher finished his hat trick on his tenth of the year, with a lone helper from Valeri Nichushkin. The final held at 6-0, with the three stars handed to Compher, Grubauer (18 save shutout), and Rantanen, while Landeskog and Toews get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2021 - Day 119

Just two games on for today, beginning with...

The Washington Capitals welcoming the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Vitek Vanecek are the goalies. Boston got going in the second period with a Curtis Lazar goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Jarred Tinordi and Jake DeBrusk. Washington tied it on a Carl Hagelin goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Garnet Hathaway and Zdeno Chara. The Capitals took the lead in the third period on a Michael Raffl goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Justin Schultz. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Raffl, Hagelin, and Vanecek (25 for 26 in saves).

In Winnipeg, the Jets bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Braden Holtby and Connor Hellebuyck are the masked men. Winnipeg struck first in the first period with a Kyle Connor goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by Blake Wheeler and Dylan DeMelo. The Jets added on in the second period with a Wheeler goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Connor and Neal Pionk. Winnipeg extended the lead as Mark Scheifele scored his twenty-first of the season, thanks to Wheeler and Jordie Benn. The Jets padded the lead in the third period with another Wheeler goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the year, fueled by Connor and Scheifele. Winnipeg continued with a Mason Appleton goal, his eleventh of the season, coming off of Mathieu Perreault and Derek Forbort. The three stars went to Wheeler, Connor, and Hellebuyck (24 save shutout), while Scheifele gets an honorable mention. 

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