NHL 2022-23 - Day 4

The season kicks it up a notch on Wednesday with six games. First up...

The Carolina Hurricanes host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Daniil Tarasov and Frederik Andersen are the goalies. Columbus got going in the second period with a Patrik Laine goal, assisted by Zach Werenski. Carolina tied it on a Seth Jarvis goal, going in unassisted. The Hurricanes took the lead with a Brady Skjei goal, coming off of Martin Necas and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Carolina added on with a Necas goal in the third period, helped along by Derek Stepan and Jordan Martinook. The Hurricanes extended the lead as Andrei Svechnikov scored, thanks to Necas and Paul Stastny. The final stood at 4-1, with the three stars going to Necas, Andersen (31 for 32 in saves), and Skjei.

In Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matt Murray and Jake Allen protect the nets. Toronto led off in the first period with a Michael Bunting goal, coming off of Mitchell Marner and T.J. Brodie. Montreal tied it in the second period with a Cole Caufield goal, via Nick Suzuki and David Savard. The Maple Leafs retook the lead with a Denis Malgin goal, assisted by John Tavares and William Nylander. The Canadiens tied it on another Caufield goal, going in unassisted. Montreal pulled ahead in the third period with a Sean Monahan goal, helped along by Jordan Harris and Kirby Dach. Toronto tied it on a Nylander goal, courtesy of Tavares and Morgan Rielly. The Canadiens reclaimed the lead with a Josh Anderson goal, fueled by Suzuki. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Caufield, Suzuki, and Nylander, while Tavares gets an honorable mention.

Stateside again to DC, as the Washington Capitals bring in the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Darcy Kuemper are the masked men. Boston began in the first period with a Patrice Bergeron power play goal, powered by David Pastrnak and David Krejci. The Bruins added on with a Pastrnak goal, via Krejci and Connor Clifton. Boston extended the lead in the second period as Taylor Hall scored, with the help of Pastrnak and Mike Reilly. Washington got on the board with an Anthony Mantha goal, courtesy of Dylan Strome and Erik Gustafsson. The Capitals got closer with a Conor Sheary goal, fueled by Nic Dowd. The Bruins replied in the third period with a Krejci goal, made possible by Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. Boston iced it at 5-2 with a Hampus Lindholm empty net goal, going in unassisted. The three stars were Pastrnak, Krejci, and Hall. 

Out in Colorado, the Avalanche host the Chicago Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek and Alexandar Georgiev are between the pipes. Colorado struck first in the first period with an Andrew Cogliano goal, assisted by Nathan MacKinnon and Devon Toews. Chicago tied it with a Jonathan Toews power play goal, powered by Philipp Kurashev and Andreas Athanasiou. The Avalanche retook the lead with a Valeri Nichushkin power play goal, with assists provided by Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen. Colorado added on with a Lehkonen goal, coming off of Rantanen and MacKinnon on the power play. The Avalanche extended the lead as Lehkonen scored another power play goal, thanks to Rantanen and Cale Makar. The Blackhawks pulled one back with a Max Domi power play goal in the third period, guided in by Tyler Johnson and Patrick Kane. Colorado fired back with a power play goal by Nichushkin, his second of the game, helped along by Makar and Rantanen. The final stood at 5-2, with the three stars awarded to Rantanen, Lehkonen, and Nichushkin, while MacKinnon and Makar get the honorable mentions.

Up in Edmonton, the Oilers welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Jack Campbell guard the cages. Vancouver started in the first period with an Elias Pettersson unassisted goal. The Canucks added on with a J.T. Miller goal, via Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes. Vancouver extended the lead in the second period as Andrei Kuzmenko scored on the power play, with the help of Miller and Bo Horvat. Edmonton got on the board with a Leon Draisaitl power play goal, courtesy of Connor McDavid and Tyson Barrie. The Oilers got closer with a McDavid power play goal, with helpers from Draisaitl and Zach Hyman. Edmonton tied it with a Darnell Nurse shorthanded goal, set up by Draisaitl. The Oilers gained the lead in the third period with another McDavid goal, his second of the game, guided in by Hyman. Edmonton iced it at 5-3 with a McDavid power play empty net goal to complete his hat trick, fueled by Evander Kane and Nurse. The three stars went to McDavid, Draisaitl, and Nurse, while Miller and Hyman were the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Seattle Kraken. Philipp Grubauer and John Gibson are in the creases. Anaheim opened in the first period with a Troy Terry goal, assisted by Mason McTavish and Ryan Strome. Seattle tied it on a Jared McCann power play goal, powered by Matty Beniers and Justin Schultz. The Kraken took the lead in the second period with an Andre Burakovsky power play goal, with assists provided by Vince Dunn. Seattle added on with an Oliver Bjorkstrand power play goal, helped along by Schultz and Ryan Donato. The Ducks got one back with a Strome power play goal, coming off of McTavish and Trevor Zegras. The Kraken answered in the third period with a Beniers goal, via Jaden Schwartz and Carson Soucy. Anaheim pulled one back on a Frank Vatrano goal, made possible by Strome and John Klingberg. The Ducks tied it with a Zegras power play goal, with helpers from Terry and Klingberg. Anaheim won 5-4 in overtime on a Terry goal, his second of the game, set up by Gibson. The three stars were Terry, Strome, and Zegras, while Beniers, McTavish, Klingberg, and Schultz get the honorable mentions. 

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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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