NHL 2022-23 - Day 3

The first day of NHL action in North America is here, with a pair of games on. First up...

The New York Rangers welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin tend the twines. New York got going in the second period on a Mika Zibanejad shorthanded goal, set up by Jacob Trouba and K'Andre Miller. Tampa Bay tied it on a Steven Stamkos power play goal, powered by Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. The Rangers retook the lead in the third period on another Zibanejad goal in the third period, a power play goal, via Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider. New York added on with a Barclay Goodrow goal, assisted by Ryan Lindgren and Ryan Carpenter. The final stood at 3-1, with the three stars going to Zibanejad, Shesterkin (25 for 26 in saves), and Goodrow.

Out west, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Logan Thompson and Jonathan Quick make the starts in goal. Los Angeles struck first in the first period with a Gabriel Vilardi goal, courtesy of Quinton Byfield and Alex Iafallo. Vegas tied it in the second period on a Jonathan Marchessault goal, fueled by William Karlsson. The Golden Knights took the lead in the third period with a Jack Eichel goal, guided in by Chandler Stephenson and Reilly Smith. The Kings tied it on an Adrian Kempe goal, assisted by Anze Kopitar and Sean Durzi. Vegas retook the lead with a Karlsson goal, helped along by Alex Pietrangelo and Nicolas Roy. Los Angeles retied it on an Arthur Kaliyev goal, made possible by Trevor Moore and Vilardi. The Golden Knights reclaimed the lead with a Mark Stone goal, via Stephenson and Pietrangelo. The final held at 4-3, with the three stars given to Karlsson, Stephenson, and Pietrangelo, while Vilardi gets the honorable mention. 

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NHL 2022-23 - Day 2

We're back again from Prague, as the San Jose Sharks get their turn to play as host against the Nashville Predators. Kevin Lankinen and Kaapo Kahkonen are the backups in goal. San Jose started in the first period with a Luke Kunin power play goal, powered by Oskar Lindblom and Mario Ferraro. Nashville tied it on a Nino Niederreiter goal, his second of the season, assisted by Ryan Johansen and Roman Josi in the second period. The Sharks pulled ahead again with a Logan Couture goal, via Steven Lorentz and Ferraro. The Predators retied it on a Filip Forsberg goal, coming off of Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund. Nashville took the lead with a Niederreiter goal, his second of the game and third of the year, passed from Eeli Tolvanen and Ryan McDonagh. This held for the eventual 3-2 final score, with the three stars handed to Niederreiter, Ferraro, and Forsberg. 

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NHL 2022-23 - Day 1

The offseason's officially over, and the regular season of NHL is here. Once again, I'll give it a go to recap every game, though this is fair warning that that may not be sustainable for the whole year. We'll see how it goes. We begin with the first of two games in Prague, as the Nashville Predators are designated to host the San Jose Sharks. James Reimer and Juuse Saros start in goal. Nashville opened in the first period with a Kiefer Sherwood goal, via Mattias Ekholm and Ryan McDonagh. San Jose tied it on a Tomas Hertl goal, assisted by Timo Meier and Luke Kunin. The Predators retook the lead in the second period with an Eeli Tolvanen goal, courtesy of Cole Smith and Cody Glass. Nashville added on with a Nino Niederreiter goal, passed from Dante Fabbro and Sherwood. The Predators iced it at 4-1 in the third period with a Matt Duchene empty net goal, set up by Mikael Granlund and Filip Forsberg. The three stars were Sherwood, Saros (30 for 31 in saves), and Tolvanen. 

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2022 Stanley Cup Finals - Game 6

We're back for another game, the last in Tampa Bay, as the Lightning welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Darcy Kuemper and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the masked men. Tampa Bay kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Steven Stamkos goal, his eleventh of the postseason, via Ondrej Palat. Colorado tied it on a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his thirteenth of the playoffs, guided in by Bowen Byram and Gabriel Landeskog. The Avalanche took the lead with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, his eighth of the postseason, made possible by MacKinnon and Josh Manson. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to MacKinnon, Kuemper (22 for 23 in saves), and Lehkonen. The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup with a 4-2 series win, and Cale Makar was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoff MVP. 

With that, another season is done. This site will go quiet for now, and once again, I'll make a decision on continuing for another year before next season. As always, follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

2022 Stanley Cup Finals - Game 5

We're back in Denver for Game 5, with the Colorado Avalanche hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Darcy Kuemper are between the pipes. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with a Jan Rutta goal, assisted by Corey Perry and Mikhail Sergachev. Colorado tied it in the second period with a Valeri Nichushkin goal, his ninth of the postseason, coming off of Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. The Lightning retook the lead with a Nikita Kucherov power play goal, his eighth of the playoffs, powered by Steven Stamkos and Perry. The Avalanche tied it in the third period with a Makar goal, his eighth of the postseason, via Devon Toews and Nichushkin. Tampa Bay took the lead back with an Ondrej Palat goal, his eleventh of the playoffs, guided in by Victor Hedman and Sergachev. The final held at 3-2, with the three stars being Makar, Perry, and Sergachev, while Nichushkin gets an honorable mention. The Avalanche hold a 3-2 series lead, but they'll be heading back to Tampa for Game 6. 

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2022 Stanley Cup Finals - Game 4

In Tampa Bay again, the Lightning host the Colorado Avalanche. Darcy Kuemper and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the masked men. Tampa Bay led off in the first period with an Anthony Cirelli goal, his third of the postseason, coming off of Erik Cernak. Colorado tied it on a Nathan MacKinnon power play goal in the second period, his twelfth of the playoffs, powered by Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. The Lightning retook the lead with a Victor Hedman goal, his third of the postseason, via Jan Rutta. The Avalanche tied it in the third period with an Andrew Cogliano goal, his third of the playoffs, guided in by Nico Sturm and Darren Helm. Colorado won 3-2 in overtime with a Nazem Kadri goal, his seventh of the postseason, assisted by Artturi Lehkonen and Kuemper. The three stars were Kadri, Cogliano, and MacKinnon. The Avalanche lead the series 3-1 and will get three chances to win the Stanley Cup. 

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2022 Stanley Cup Finals - Game 3

The Stanley Cup shifts to Tampa Bay, as the Lightning host the Colorado Avalanche. Darcy Kuemper and Andrei Vasilevskiy guard the cages. Colorado led off in the first period with a Gabriel Landeskog power play goal, his tenth of the postseason, powered by Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. Tampa Bay tied it on an Anthony Cirelli goal, his second of the playoffs, coming off of Pat Maroon. The Lightning took the lead with an Ondrej Palat goal, his tenth of the postseason, via Steven Stamkos. Tampa Bay added on in the second period with a Nick Paul goal, his fifth of the playoffs, guided in by Ross Colton. The Avalanche pulled one back with another Landeskog power play goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the postseason, with assists provided by Makar and Rantanen. The Lightning fired back with a Stamkos goal, his tenth of the playoffs, courtesy of Nikita Kucherov and Zach Bogosian. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Maroon scored his fourth of the postseason, thanks to Kucherov and Victor Hedman. The Lightning padded the lead on a Corey Perry power play goal, his sixth of the playoffs, made possible by Palat and Hedman. The final held at 6-2, with the three stars going to Stamkos, Palat, and Landeskog, while Maroon, Kucherov, Hedman, Makar, and Rantanen get the honorable mentions. The Avalanche remain ahead 2-1 in the series. 

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