It's a ten-game day, beginning with...
The Montreal Canadiens hosting the St. Louis Blues. Ville Husso faces a lesser foe in Samuel Montembeault in goal. Montreal opened in the first period with a Paul Byron goal, courtesy of Artturi Lehkonen and Jeff Petry. St. Louis tied it on a shorthanded Robert Thomas goal, his seventh of the season, set up by Pavel Buchnevich. The Blues took the lead in the third period with a Buchnevich goal, his sixteenth of the year, coming off of Vladimir Tarasenko and Justin Faulk. The Canadiens tied it again on a Cole Caufield goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Chris Wideman and Mike Hoffman. Montreal won 3-2 in overtime with a Caufield goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, helped along by Petry. The three stars were Caufield, Petry, and Buchnevich.
Stateside, the Buffalo Sabres welcome the Ottawa Senators. Anton Forsberg and Craig Anderson man the nets. Buffalo started in the first period with a Kyle Okposo power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Rasmus Asplund and Rasmus Dahlin. Ottawa tied it in the second period with a Zach Sanford goal, his eighth of the year, via Tyler Ennis and Artem Zub. The Senators took the lead in the third period with an Austin Watson goal, his third of the season, guided in by Nick Holden and Dylan Gambrell. Ottawa iced it at 3-1 with a Brady Tkachuk empty net goal, his sixteenth of the year, set up by Holden. The three stars were Forsberg (23 for 24 in saves), Watson, and Holden.
In New York City, the Rangers bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Thomas Greiss and Igor Shesterkin are in the blue paint. Detroit began in the first period with a Troy Stecher goal, via Adam Erne and Joe Veleno. New York tied it in the second period with a K'Andre Miller goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Barclay Goodrow. The Red Wings took the lead with a Dylan Larkin goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, courtesy of Danny DeKeyser and Moritz Seider. The Rangers tied it in the third period with a Mika Zibanejad power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Lucas Raymond and Pius Suter lifted the Red Wings 3-2 over Zibanejad and the Rangers. The three stars were Zibanejad, Larkin, and Griess (37 for 39 in saves).
Back in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Jack Campbell protect the nets. Toronto led off in the first period with an Auston Matthews goal, his thirty-third of the season, coming off of T.J. Brodie and Mitchell Marner. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period with a Morgan Rielly power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Campbell. Toronto extended the lead as David Kampf scored his seventh of the season shorthanded, set up by Rielly. Pittsburgh got on the board in the third period with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Jeff Carter. Toronto shot back with a Michael Bunting goal, his sixteenth of the season, with helpers from Matthews and Marner. The final was 4-1, with the three stars handed to Matthews, Campbell (45 for 46 in saves), and Marner, while Rielly gets an honorable mention.
South again to Philadelphia, as the Flyers welcome the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones are set to start in goal. Washington struck first in the first period with a Michal Kempny goal, assisted by Nic Dowd and Garnet Hathaway. Philadelphia tied it on a Gerry Mayhew power play goal in the second period, his fourth of the season, powered by Oskar Lindblom and Isaac Ratcliffe. The Capitals took the lead back with a Joe Snively power play goal, his fourth of the year, with assists provided by Conor Sheary and Dmitry Orlov. The Flyers tied it on a Travis Sanheim goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Travis Konecny and Claude Giroux. Philadelphia took the lead with another Mayhew goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, coming off of Sanheim and Ivan Provorov. Washington retied it on a Hathaway goal, his ninth of the season, helped along by John Carlson and Carl Hagelin. The Capitals pulled ahead on another Hathaway goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, courtesy of Hagelin. Washington iced it at 5-3 with a Carlson empty net goal, his tenth of the campaign, set up by Dowd. The three stars were Hathaway, Carlson, and Mayhew, while Dowd, Hagelin, and Sanheim get the honorable mentions.
To New York again, as the Islanders bring in the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Ilya Sorokin are the masked men. Boston kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Taylor Hall goal, his eleventh of the season, passed from Craig Smith and Mike Reilly. New York tied it on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau power play goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, powered by Noah Dobson and Mathew Barzal. The Islanders took the lead in the third period with a Dobson goal, his eighth of the season, via Brock Nelson. New York added on with a Barzal goal, his twelfth of the year, assisted by Kieffer Bellows and Adam Pelech. The Islanders finished it at 4-1 with a Nelson empty net goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, set up by Zdeno Chara. The three stars were Dobson, Barzal, and Sorokin (26 for 27 in saves), while Nelson gets an honorable mention.
Northwest to Winnipeg, as the Jets host the Seattle Kraken. Philipp Grubauer and Eric Comrie patrol the creases. Seattle was first to score in the first period with a Vince Dunn power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Jared McCann and Yanni Gourde. The Kraken added on with a Marcus Johansson goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Alexander Wennberg and Jordan Eberle. Winnipeg got on the board with a Dominic Toninato shorthanded goal, his fourth of the season, set up by Adam Lowry and Dylan DeMelo. The Jets tied it on a Pierre-Luc Dubois goal in the second period, his twenty-first of the year, coming off of Blake Wheeler. Winnipeg took the lead with a Wheeler goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Paul Stastny. Seattle tied it in the third period with an Eberle goal, his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Johansson and Mark Giordano. The Jets retook the lead on a Josh Morrissey goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Kyle Connor and Kristian Reichel. Winnipeg iced it at 5-3 with a Connor empty net goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, helped along by DeMelo. The three stars went to Wheeler, Connor, and Eberle, while Johansson and deMelo get the honorable mentions.
Down in Chicago, the Blackhawks welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Arvid Soderblom receive the starting nods in goal. Columbus drew first blood in the first period with a Boone Jenner power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Jakub Voracek and Zach Werenski. The Blue Jackets added on with a Yegor Chinakhov goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Gustav Nyquist and Cole Sillinger. Chicago got on the board with a Philipp Kurashev power play goal, his fourth of the season, with assists provided by Dominik Kubalik and Kirby Dach. The Blackhawks tied it on a Ryan Carpenter goal, coming off of Brett Connolly and Kurashev. Columbus retook the lead on a Max Domi goal, his ninth of the year, made possible by Chinakhov. The Blue Jackets extended the lead as Patrik Laine scored his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Vladislav Gavrikov and Jenner. Chicago pulled one back with a MacKenzie Entwistle goal, his fifth of the year, with helpers from Calvin de Haan and Carpenter. Columbus fired back in the third period with another Laine goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, fueled by Jenner. The Blackhawks pulled back with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, guided in by Patrick Kane and Seth Jones. The Blue Jackets responded with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his fifteenth of the season, dished from Domi and Werenski. Columbus iced it at 7-4 with a Laine empty net goal to complete his hat trick on his sixteenth of the year, set up by Nyquist and Gavrikov. The three stars belonged to Laine, Jenner, and Chinakhov, while Domi, Nyquist, Werenski, Gavrikov, Kurashev, and Caprenter get the honorable mentions.
In Canada once more, the Edmonton Oilers bring in the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Mike Smith are the veterans in goal. Anaheim led off in the first period with an Adam Henrique power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Cam Fowler and Jakob Silfverberg. The Ducks added on with a Sonny Milano power play goal, his twelfth of the year, coming off of Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale. Edmonton got on the board with an Evander Kane power play goal, his fourth of the season, via Ryan McLeod and Evan Bouchard. The Oilers tied it in the second period with a Derek Ryan goal, his fourth of the year, assisted by Cody Ceci and Warren Foegele. Edmonton took the lead with a Jesse Puljujarvi goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman. The Oilers extended the lead as Leon Draisaitl scored his thirty-fourth of the year, thanks to McLeod and Kane. Edmonton padded the lead in the third period on a Foegele goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ryan. Anaheim got one back with a Zegras goal, his eleventh of the year, made possible by Rickard Rakell and Milano. The Oilers answered with Draisaitl's second goal of the game and thirty-fifth of the season, going in unassisted. Edmonton continued with a Hyman goal, his sixteenth of the year, with helpers from McDavid and Kailer Yamamoto. The final held at 7-3 with the three stars given to Draisaitl, Kane, and Ryan, while Hyman, Foegele, McDavid, McLeod, Zegras and Milano get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and James Reimer are between the pipes. Vancouver began in the first period with a Brock Boeser goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of J.T. Miller and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Canucks added on with a Quinn Hughes goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. San Jose got on the board in the second period with a Logan Couture goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Matt Nieto and Noah Gregor. Vancouver shot back with a Juho Lammikko goal, his fifth of the year, via Kyle Burroughs. The Sharks got one back with a Timo Meier power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Tomas Hertl and Alexander Barabanov. San Jose tied it in the third period with another Meier power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, with assists provided by Hertl and Barabanov. The Canucks retook the lead with a Conor Garland goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Elias Pettersson. The Sharks tied it on a Barabanov goal, his seventh of the year, made possible by Meier and Brent Burns. Vancouver won 5-4 in overtime with a Miller goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, with helpers from Pettersson and Hughes. The three stars were handed to Meier, Miller, and Hughes, while Barabanov, Pettersson, and Hertl get the honorable mentions.
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