We're up for nine games today. First up...
The Buffalo Sabres host the Vancouver Canucks. Spencer Martin and Craig Anderson are set to start in goal. Vancouver led off in the first period with a Dakota Joshua goal, his third of the season, passed from Nils Aman and William Lockwood. The Canucks added on with an Ethan Bear goal, coming off of Bo Horvat and Conor Garland. Buffalo got on the board with a Jeff Skinner goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch. Vancouver replied in the second period with an Elias Pettersson goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Sabres fired back with another Skinner goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, helped along by Tage Thompson and Tuch. The Canucks answered with a J.T. Miller goal, his tenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Horvat. Vancouver extended the lead as Horvat scored his fourteenth of the year on the power play, thanks to Brock Boeser and Pettersson. Buffalo pulled one back with a Tuch goal, his eighth of the season, with helpers from Owen Power and Thompson. The Sabres got closer in the third period with a Casey Mittelstadt goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Dylan Cozens and Peyton Krebs. The final held at 5-4, with the three stars awarded to Horvat, Tuch, and Skinner, while Pettersson and Thompson get the honorable mentions.
Over in Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the New Jersey Devils. Vitek Vanecek and Jake Allen are the goalies. New Jersey got going in the second period with a Jack Hughes power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Dougie Hamilton and Jesper Bratt. The Devils added on with an unassisted Hamilton goal, his fifth of the year. Montreal got on the board with an Evgenii Dadonov goal, via Sean Monahan and David Savard. New Jersey fired back with another Hughes goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, passed from Dawson Mercer. The Devils extended the lead in the third period as Bratt scored his sixth of the year, thanks to Hughes and Mercer. New Jersey padded the lead on a John Marino empty net goal, his second of the campaign, going in unassisted. The final was 5-1, with the three stars being Hughes, Bratt, and Hamilton, while Mercer gets an honorable mention.
Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning bring in the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Brian Elliott receive the starts in goal. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with a Ross Colton goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Vladislav Namestnikov and Philippe Myers. Dallas tied it on a Mason Marchment power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. The Lightning took the lead back in the second period with a Nick Paul power play goal, his sixth of the season, with assists provided by Corey Perry and Colton. The Stars tied it on a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his ninth of the year, helped along by Miro Heiskanen and Jamie Benn. Dallas took the lead with a Robertson goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Pavelski and Heiskanen. Tampa Bay retied it with a Steven Stamkos goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Ian Cole and Alex Killorn. The Lightning took the lead with a Cole goal, coming off of Paul and Killorn. The Stars tied it on a shorthanded Radek Faksa goal, going in unassisted. Tampa Bay won 5-4 in overtime with a Killorn goal, his fifth of the campaign, fueled by Mikhail Sergachev and Stamkos. The three stars were Killorn, Paul, and Stamkos, while Cole, Robertson, Colton, Pavelski, and Heiskanen get the honorable mentions.
Also in Florida, the Panthers host the Washington Capitals. Darcy Kuemper and Sergei Bobrovsky protect the nets. Florida started in the first period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. The Panthers added on in the second period with a Sam Reinhart power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Aaron Ekblad and Matthew Tkachuk. Washington got on the board with a Dylan Strome goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Joe Snively and John Carlson. Florida fired back in the third period with a Nick Cousins goal, his second of the year, via Gustav Forsling and Tkachuk. The Capitals answered with a Carlson goal, his third of the season, helped along by Erik Gustafsson and Anthony Mantha. The Panthers replied with a Carter Verhaeghe goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Barkov and Brandon Montour. Florida iced it at 5-2 with a Verhaeghe empty goal, his second of the game and tenth of the campaign, set up by Tkachuk and Barkov. The three stars went to Barkov, Verhaeghe, and Tkachuk, while Carlson gets an honorable mention.
Back north, the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matt Murray and Casey DeSmith are in the blue paint. Toronto began in the first period with a John Tavares goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Jordie Benn and Alexander Kerfoot. The Maple Leafs added on with a Mitchell Marner goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Morgan Rielly and Tavares. Toronto extended the lead in the second period as Michael Bunting scored his third of the season, with the help of Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Rickard Rakell goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Jason Zucker and Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins got closer with a Sidney Crosby goal, his seventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Maple Leafs fired back on a Bunting goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, helped along by Pontus Holmberg and Matthews. Toronto iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Nylander, his seventh of the campaign, set up by Bunting and Rielly. The three stars were Bunting, Tavares, and Nylander, while Matthews and Rielly get the honorable mentions.
Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter Hart and Elvis Merzlikins are between the pipes. Columbus struck first in the first period with a Sean Kuraly goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Vladislav Gavrikov and Eric Robinson. The Blue Jackets added on in the second period with a Boone Jenner power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Johnny Gaudreau and Kent Johnson. Philadelphia got on the board with a Kevin Hayes goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton. The Flyers tied it on a Noah Cates goal, his third of the year, fueled by Zack MacEwen and Owen Tippett. Columbus took the lead on a Jenner goal, his second of the game and sixth of the season, going in unassisted. The Blue Jackets extended the lead as Robinson scored his second of the year, thanks to Mathieu Olivier and Marcus Bjork. Philadelphia got one back on a Nick Seeler goal, his second of the season, made possible by Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee. The Flyers tied it on a Konecny power play goal, his seventh of the year, with assists provided by Cates and Hayes. Columbus won 5-4 in overtime with a Gavrikov goal, his second of the campaign, guided in by Yegor Chinakhov and Cole Sillinger. The three stars were Gavrikov, Jenner, and Robinson, while Hayes, Cates, and Konecny get the honorable mentions.
Down in Nashville, the Predators host the Minnesota Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury and Juuse Saros guard the cages. Nashville kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Nino Niederreiter goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene. The Predators added on with a Duchene power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Johansen and Roman Josi. Minnesota got on the board with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his third of the season, via Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov. The final held at 2-1, with the three stars going to Duchene, Johansen, and Saros (33 for 34 in saves).
Out west, the Vegas Golden Knights welcome the San Jose Sharks. James Reimer and Logan Thompson are the masked men. Vegas dented the scoreboard in the first period with a Jack Eichel goal, his tenth of the season, via Shea Theodore and Chandler Stephenson. San Jose tied it in the second period with a Luke Kunin goal, his third of the year, guided in by Erik Karlsson and Nico Sturm.The Golden Knights retook the lead with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Alex Pietrangelo. The Sharks retied it in the third period with a Matt Nieto goal, his second of the year, assisted by Alexander Barabanov and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. San Jose pulled ahead on a Timo Meier power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Logan Couture and Barabanov. The Sharks added on with a Couture empty net goal, his seventh of the year, set up by Tomas Hertl and Karlsson. San Jose iced it at 5-2 with a Mario Ferraro empty net goal, going in unassisted. The three stars were Couture, Karlsson, and Barabanov.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Ville Husso and John Gibson patrol the creases. Detroit drew first blood in the first period with a Jonatan Berggren power play goal, powered by Filip Hronek and Lucas Raymond. Anaheim tied it on a Mason McTavish power play goal, his second of the season, with assists provided by Adam Henrique and Cam Fowler. The Red Wings took the lead back in the second period with a Michael Rasmussen goal, his second of the year, courtesy of David Perron and Oskar Sundqvist. The Ducks tied it in the third period with a John Klingberg goal, via Fowler and Trevor Zegras. Anaheim won 3-2 in overtime with a Ryan Strome goal, his fifth of the campaign, set up by Zegras. The three stars were Zegras, Strome, and Fowler.
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