There's ten games on for a busy Friday, beginning with...
The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Craig Anderson are in the creases. Pittsburgh got going in the second period with a Jake Guentzel power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Evgeni Malkin and Jeff Petry. Buffalo tied it on a Victor Olofsson goal, his twelfth of the year, coming off of Tyson Jost and Casey Mittelstadt. The Sabres took the lead with a Jeff Skinner goal, his thirteenth of the season, courtesy of Tage Thompson and Mittelstadt. The Penguins tied it in the third period with a Rickard Rakell goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Danton Heinen. Pittsburgh took the lead with a Brock McGinn goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Kasperi Kapanen and Jan Rutta. Buffalo tied it on a Kyle Okposo power play goal, his second of the year, with assists provided by Jack Quinn and Mittelstadt. The Penguins won 4-3 in overtime with a Jeff Carter power play goal, his fourth of the campaign, fueled by Rakell and Malkin. The three stars were Rakell, Mittelstadt, and Malkin.
In New Jersey, the Devils welcome the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and Vitek Vanecek are between the pipes. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Nico Hischier power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton. New York tied it on a Brock Nelson goal, his thirteenth of the year, via Alexander Romanov. The Islanders took the lead with an Anders Lee goal, his ninth of the season, made possible by Romanov and Scott Mayfield. New York added on with with a Casey Cizikas goal, passed from Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. The Islanders extended the lead as Oliver Wahlstrom scored his seventh of the year, thanks to Josh Bailey and Mathew Barzal. The Devils got one back with a Dawson Mercer goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Jack Hughes and Ryan Graves. New York fired back with a Nelson power play goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, with assists provided by Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Barzal. The Islanders padded the lead in the third period on an unassisted Clutterbuck goal, his second of the season. New Jersey pulled back with a Tomas Tatar goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Jonas Siegenthaler and Bratt. The Devils got closer on a Hughes goal, his fourteenth of the campaign, helped along by Hamilton and Siegenthaler. This only made it 6-4, the final, with the three stars going to Nelson, Clutterbuck, and Barzal, while Romanov, Hughes, Bratt, Hamilton, and Siegenthaler get the honorable mentions.
To DC, as the Washington Capitals bring in the Seattle Kraken. Philipp Grubauer and Charlie Lindgren receive the starts in goal. Seattle started in the first period with an Adam Larsson goal, his third of the season, coming off of Morgan Geekie and Karson Kuhlman. Washington tied it in the second period with an Anthony Mantha goal, his seventh of the year, via Matt Irwin and Alexander Alexeyev. The Capitals took the lead with a Marcus Johansson power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Sonny Milano and Alex Ovechkin. Washington added on in the third period with a Lars Eller empty net goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Mantha. The Capitals iced it at 4-1 with an Ovechkin empty net goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, with helpers from Evgeny Kuznetsov and John Carlson. The three stars were Ovechkin, Mantha, and Lindgren (25 for 26 in saves).
Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets host the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Joonas Korpisalo are the veteran goalies. Columbus led off in the first period with a Patrik Laine goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Jack Roslovic and Yegor Chinakhov. Elvis Merzlikins replaced an injured Korpisalo in the second period. The Blue Jackets added on with an unassisted Eric Robinson goal, his third of the year. Calgary got on the board in the third period with a Michael Stone goal, his third of the season, guided in by Mikael Backlund and Noah Hanifin. Columbus iced it at 3-1 with a Sean Kuraly empty net goal, his seventh of the year, set up by Boone Jenner and Mathieu Olivier. The three stars were Robinson, Laine, and Merzlikins (19 for 20 in saves in relief).
West to Chicago, where the Blackhawks welcome the Winnipeg Jets. David Rittich and Arvid Soderblom are the backups in goal. Winnipeg began in the first period with a Cole Perfetti goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Josh Morrissey. The Jets added on with a Blake Wheeler power play goal in the second period, his ninth of the year, powered by Morrissey and Kyle Connor. Chicago got on the board with a Taylor Raddysh goal, his eighth of the season, via Philipp Kurashev. Winnipeg fired back in the third period on an Adam Lowry goal, his sixth of the year, coming off of Jansen Harkins and Morgan Barron. The final held from here at 3-1, with the three stars being Morrissey, Wheeler, and Rittich (22 for 23 in saves).
Out to Colorado, as the Avalanche bring in the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev faces his former teammate and Igor Shesterkin in goal. Colorado struck first in the first period with a Mikko Rantanen goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Alex Newhook and Samuel Girard. New York tied it in the second period with a Braden Schneider goal, his fourth of the year, via Artemi Panarin and Barclay Goodrow. In the shootout, Mika Zibanejad and Panarin lifted the Rangers to a 2-1 win. The three stars were Panarin, Shesterkin (41 for 42 in saves), and Georgiev (28 for 29 in saves).
Up in Edmonton, the Oilers host the Minnesota Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury and Stuart Skinner protect the nets. Edmonton kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Derek Ryan goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Devin Shore and Klim Kostin. The Oilers added on with a Connor McDavid power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Tyson Barrie. Minnesota got on the board with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his tenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Wild tied it in the second period on a Mats Zuccarello power play goal, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon. Edmonton took the lead with a Kailer Yamamoto goal, guided in by Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci. The Oilers extended the lead in the third period as Leon Draisaitl scored his nineteenth of the season on the power play, thanks to Nugent-Hopkins and McDavid. Edmonton iced it at 5-2 with a Nugent-Hopkins empty net goal, his fourteenth of the year, set up by Draisaitl and Zach Hyman. The three stars went to Nugent-Hopkins, McDavid, and Draisaitl.
Way south to Arizona, as the Coyotes welcome the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Karel Vejmelka start in goal. Arizona was first to score in the first period with a Josh Brown goal, his third of the season, fueled by Matias Maccelli and Lawson Crouse. Boston tied it on a David Pastrnak power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Charlie McAvoy. The Bruins took the lead in the second period with a Charlie Coyle goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Jake DeBrusk. The Coyotes retied it on a Crouse goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Shayne Gostisbehere and Jakob Chychrun. Arizona took the lead with a Nick Schmaltz goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Clayton Keller and Gostisbehere. Boston tied it on a Nick Foligno power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by David Krejci and Hampus Lindholm. The Coyotes took the lead with a Crouse goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the campaign, made possible by Maccelli. This made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars being Crouse, Maccelli and Gostisbehere.
Backtracking to Vegas, the Golden Knights bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter Hart and Adin Hill are in the blue paint. Vegas drew first blood in the first period with a William Carrier goal, his ninth of the season, going in unassisted. Philadelphia tied it in the second period on an unassisted Scott Laughton goal, his fourth of the year. The Golden Knights won 2-1 in overtime with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his twelfth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Marchessault, Hill (27 for 28 in saves), and Carrier.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the San Jose Sharks. Eetu Makiniemi is mismatched with John Gibson in goal. San Jose cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Timo Meier goal, his fourteenth of the season, fueled by Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl. The Sharks added on in the second period with a Scott Harrington goal, via Kevin Labanc and Meier. San Jose extended the lead on a Karlsson power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Alexander Barabanov and Hertl. The Sharks padded the lead as Nico Sturm scored his seventh of the season, with the help of Matt Benning. Anaheim got on the board with a Trevor Zegras goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Cam Fowler and Dmitry Kulikov. Anthony Stolarz replaced Gibson in goal. San Jose replied in the third period with a Nick Bonino empty net goal, his third of the season, set up by Benning. The Sharks finished it at 6-1 with a Steven Lorentz goal, his third of the year, with helpers from Evgeny Svechnikov and Barabanov. The three stars were Karlsson, Meier, and Hertl, while Benning and Barabanov get the honorable mentions.
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