A massive Saturday features 14 games, including four early ones. First up...
The Detroit Red Wings host the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and Ville Husso start in goal. Detroit got going in the second period with a Lucas Raymond power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Larkin. Varlamov left the game hurt and was replaced by Ilya Sorokin. The Red Wings added on with a Pius Suter shorthanded goal, his second of the year, set up by Adam Erne and Moritz Seider. Detroit extended the lead as Kubalik scored his fifth of the season in the third period, thanks to Andrew Copp. The final stood at 3-0 with the three stars being Husso (24 save shutout), Kubalik, and Raymond.
Across the Atlantic, the Columbus Blue Jackets play host to the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev and Joonas Korpisalo are set to start in goal. Colorado opened in the first period with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, his third of the season, passed from Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Columbus tied it on a Boone Jenner power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Zach Werenski and Jack Roslovic. The Avalanche retook the lead with a Martin Kaut goal in the second period, via Cale Makar and MacKinnon. Colorado added on with an O'Connor goal, his third of the season, assisted by Makar and Devon Toews. The Avalanche extended the lead as Toews scored, thanks to MacKinnon and Makar. Colorado padded the lead in the third period on an Alex Newhook goal, his second of the year, with helpers from Evan Rodrigues and Kaut. The final was 5-1, with the three stars being Makar, MacKinnon, and Teows, while Kaut gets an honorable mention.
Along to Winnipeg, as the Jets host the Chicago Blackhawks. Arvid Soderblom is mismatched with Connor Hellebuyck in goal. Winnipeg dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Josh Morrissey power play goal, powered by Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Jets added on with a shorthanded Adam Lowry goal, his third of the season, set up by Dylan DeMelo and Brenden Dillon. Winnipeg extended the lead as Dubois scored his fifth of the year on the power play, thanks to Kyle Connor and Morrissey. Soderblom left in the third period with an injury, replaced by Dylan Wells in goal. The Jets padded the lead in the third period with a Nate Schmidt power play goal, his second of the season, helped along by Cole Perfetti. The final stood at 4-0, with the three stars awarded to Hellebuyck (30 save shutout), Dubois, and Morrissey.
Westward to Edmonton, as the Oilers welcome the Dallas Stars. Scott Wedgewood and Jack Campbell are in the blue paint. Dallas started in the first period with a Joe Pavelski goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. The Stars added on in the second period with a Colin Miller goal, via Denis Gurianov and Tyler Seguin. Edmonton got on the board with a Leon Draisaitl power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid. Dallas fired back with a Jason Robertson goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Pavelski and Jani Hakanpaa. The Stars extended the lead as Jamie Benn scored his second of the year on the power play, thanks to Robertson and Miro Heiskanen. The Oilers got one back with a Darnell Nurse goal, his third of the season, guided in by Jesse Puljujarvi and Evander Kane. Dallas fired back with a Benn power play goal, his second of the game and third of the year, with assists provided by Heiskanen and Hintz. The Stars padded the lead as Benn completed his hat trick with his fourth of the season, with the help of Ty Dellandrea and Ryan Suter. The final held at 6-2, with the three stars being Benn, Robertson, and Heiskanen, while Pavelski and Hintz gets the honorable mentions.
Back east, the Toronto Maple Leafs bring in the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Ilya Samsonov man the nets. Toronto struck first in the first period with an Auston Matthews goal, his fifth of the season, guided in by Michael Bunting and Mitchell Marner. Boston tied it in the second period with a Brad Marchand power play penalty shot goal, his fourth of the year. The Maple Leafs retook the lead with another Matthews power play goal, his second of the game and sixth of the season, assisted by William Nylander and Marner. Erik Kallgren replaced an injured Samsonov in goal in the third period. The final held at 2-1, with the three stars being Matthews, Marner, and Kallgren (seven saves in relief).
In Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens host the Vegas Golden Knights. Adin Hill and Jake Allen are the goalies. Vegas kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Nicolas Hague goal, going in unassisted. Montreal tied it on a Cole Caufield goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Kirby Dach and Joel Edmundson. The Golden Knights pulled ahead on a Reilly Smith goal, his fourth of the year, via William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault. The Canadiens tied it in the third period with a Nick Suzuki goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Dach and Kaiden Guhle. Vegas reclaimed the lead with another Smith goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, passed from Phil Kessel and Shea Theodore on the power play. The Golden Knights added on with a Keegan Kolesar goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Hague. Vegas extended the lead as Nicolas Roy scored his third of the year, thanks to Kolesar and William Carrier. Montreal fired back with a Suzuki power play goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, powered by Dach and Caufield. The Golden Knights answered with a Marchessault power play goal, his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo. The Canadiens pulled one back with a Juraj Slafkovsky goal, his third of the season, fueled by Guhle. The final stood at 6-4, with the three starts handed to Smith, Hague, and Kolesar, while Marchessault, Suzuki, Caufield, Guhle, and Dach get the honorable mentions.
Back to Ontario, as the Ottawa Senators welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter Hart and Cam Talbot protect the nets. Ottawa began in the first period with a Claude Giroux goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk. Philadelphia tied it on a power play goal by Kevin Hayes, his second of the year, powered by Tony DeAngelo and Travis Konecny. The Flyers pulled ahead in the second period with a Zack MacEwen goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. This held up for the eventual 2-1 final score, with the three stars awarded to Hart (31 for 32 in saves), MacEwen, and Hayes.
Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Eric Comrie and Brian Elliott receive the starting nods in goal. Tampa Bay led off in the first period with a Nick Paul goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Victor Hedman and Brandon Hagel. Buffalo tied it on a Zemgus Girgensons goal, his third of the year, coming off of Owen Power and Tage Thompson. The Lightning retook the lead in the second period with a power play Brayden Point goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. The Sabres retied it on a Casey Mittelstadt power play goal, his second of the year, with assists provided by Power and Kyle Okposo. Buffalo pulled ahead in the third period with a Jeff Skinner goal, his third of the season, made possible by Alex Tuch and Dylan Cozens. Tampa Bay tied it on a Hagel goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Kucherov. The Lightning took the lead with a Nick Perbix goal, courtesy of Kucherov and Hagel. Tampa Bay added on with a Kucherov empty net goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Point. The three stars of the 5-3 game were Kucherov, Hagel, and Point, while Power gets an honorable mention.
Back north, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Seattle Kraken. Martin Jones and Tristan Jarry are between the pipes. Pittsburgh cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang. Seattle tied it on a Vince Dunn goal, his second of the year, via Yanni Gourde. The Kraken took the lead with a Gourde goal, his second of the season, fueled by Brandon Tanev and Morgan Geekie. The Penguins tied it on a Guentzel goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Crosby and Letang. Seattle retook the lead with a Tanev goal, his second of the season, guided in by Gourde and Geekie. The final was 3-2, with the three stars awarded to Gourde, Tanev, and Guentzel, while Geekie, Crosby, and Letang get the honorable mentions.
Over in DC, the Washington Capitals welcome the Arizona Coyotes. Karel Vejmelka and Darcy Kuemper are in the blue paint. Washington drew first blood in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Trevor van Riemsdyk and Anthony Mantha. The Capitals added on with a Mantha goal in the third period, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. Arizona got on the board with a Josh Brown goal, his second of the season, assisted by Shayne Gostisbehere and Jack McBain. The Coyotes tied it on a Brett Ritchie goal, his fifth of the year, via Travis Boyd and Gostisbehere. Arizona pulled ahead in the third period with a Ritchie goal, his second of the game and sixth of the campaign, passed from Barrett Hayton and Clayton Keller. The three stars of the 3-2 game were Ritchie, Gostisbehere, and Mantha.
Out west again, the Calgary Flames bring in the New Jersey Devils. Vitek Vanecek and Jacob Markstrom are in the creases. Calgary opened in the first period with a Nazem Kadri goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Trevor Lewis. New Jersey tied it on a Nathan Bastian goal, his second of the year, via Jack Hughes and Miles Wood. The Devils took the lead with a Fabian Zetterlund goal, his second of the season, coming off of Tomas Tatar and Nico Hischier. New Jersey added on with a Wood goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Michael McLeod and Bastian. The Flames got one back in the second period with an Elias Lindholm goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Noah Hanifin and Tyler Toffoli. Calgary tied it in the third period with a Nikita Zadorov goal, his third of the year, with helpers from Blake Coleman and Rasmus Andersson. The Devils won 4-3 in overtime with a Zetterlund power play goal, his second of the game and third of the campaign, powered by Dougie Hamilton and Hughes. The three stars were Zetterlund, Wood, and Hughes, while Bastian gets an honorable mention.
Further west, the Vancouver Canucks host the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Thatcher Demko tend the twines. Vancouver started in the first period with an Ilya Mikheyev goal, his third of the season, via Quinn Hughes and Luke Schenn. The Canucks added on with a J.T. Miller goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Nils Hoglander and Bo Horvat. Vancouver extended the lead as Andrei Kuzmenko scored his seventh of the season on the power play, thanks to Miller and Hughes. Nashville got on the board in the second period with a Jordan Gross goal, assisted by Nino Niederreiter and Mattias Ekholm on the power play. The Predators got closer in the third period with another Gross goal, helped along by Zach Sanford and Mark Jankowski. Nashville tied it as Niederreiter scored his sixth of the year, with the help of Ekholm and Dante Fabbro. The tie went to a shootout, where Matt Duchene's lone tally secured a 4-3 win for the Predators. The three stars went to Gross, Niederreiter, and Ekholm, while Millers and Hughes get the honorable mentions.
Down in Los Angeles, the Kings welcome the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Jonathan Quick guard the cages. Florida began in the first period with a Ryan Lomberg goal, his second of the season, via Rudolfs Balcers. Los Angeles tied it in the second period with a Rasmus Kupari goal, passed from Kevin Fiala and Drew Doughty. The Panthers retook the lead with a Carter Verhaeghe goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Gustav Forsling and Aleksander Barkov. The Kings retied it on a Trevor Moore goal, his second of the season, fueled by Viktor Arvidsson and Phillip Danault. Los Angeles pulled ahead with an Arvidsson power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Anze Kopitar and Moore. Florida tied it on an Eetu Luostarinen goal in the third period, his fourth of the season, made possible by Sam Reinhart and Nick Cousins. The Kings retook the lead with a Blake Lizotte goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Matt Roy. The Panthers tied it again with a Verhaeghe goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, coming off of Matthew Tkachuk. Los Angeles gained the lead with a Gabriel Vilardi goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Alexander Edler and Kopitar. The final stood at 5-4, with the three stars being Arvidsson, Verhaeghe, and Moore, while Kopitar gets an honorable mention.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Anthony Stolarz and James Reimer will handle the goaltending. San Jose led off in the first period with a Kevin Labanc goal, his second of the season, coming off of Timo Meier and Matt Benning. Anaheim tied it on a Brett Leason goal, assisted by John Klingberg and Mason McTavish. The Ducks took the lead with a Max Comtois goal, his fourth of the year, via Trevor Zegras and Leason. The Sharks retied it in the second period with a Meier goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl. San Jose pulled ahead with a Luke Kunin power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Hertl and Labanc. The Sharks added on with a Hertl goal, his second of the season, made possible by Labanc and Meier. Anaheim got one back with a McTavish goal, guided in by Dmitry Kulikov. The Ducks tied it on an Adam Henrique goal, his third of the year, with helpers from Ryan Strome and Troy Terry. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Zegras, McTavish and Henrique lifted the Ducks to a 5-4 win over Labanc, Nick Bonino, and the Sharks. The three stars were Labanc, Hertl, and Meier, while McTavish and Leason get the honorable mentions.
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