We've got another eight games today, beginning with...
The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the New Jersey Devils. Vitek Vanecek and Pyotr Kochetkov man the nets. Carolina started in the first period with a Jesperi Kotkaniemi goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Seth Jarvis and Calvin de Haan. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with a Jordan Staal goal, his ninth of the year, via Jordan Martinook and Jaccob Slavin. Carolina extended the lead on a Teuvo Teravainen shorthanded goal, his second of the season, set up by Slavin and Jesper Fast. MacKenzie Blackwood replaced Vanecek in goal in the third period. New Jersey got on the board with a Jack Hughes goal, his seventeenth of the year, courtesy of Brendan Smith and Jesper Bratt. The Hurricanes iced it at 4-1 with a Stefan Noesen goal, his sixth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Slavin, Kochetkov (37 for 38 in saves), and Teravainen.
Up in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Daniil Tarasov and Carter Hart patrol the creases. Philadelphia led off in the first period with a Travis Konecny shorthanded goal, his thirteenth of the season, set up by Scott Laughton. Columbus tied it in the second period with a Kirill Marchenko goal, his third of the year, guided in by Jake Christiansen and Eric Robinson. The Blue Jackets took the lead with a Kent Johnson goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine. The Flyers retied it on a Morgan Frost goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Cam York and James van Riemsdyk. Philadelphia pulled ahead on an Owen Tippett goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Joel Farabee and York. The Flyers added on in the third period with a Konecny goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, going in unassisted. Columbus got one back with an Andrew Peeke goal, his third of the season, helped along by Jack Roslovic and Gustav Nyquist. Philadelphia iced it at 5-3 with an empty net goal by Tippett, his second of the game and tenth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Konecny, Tippett, and York.
Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins host the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Tristan Jarry guard the cages. New York opened in the first period with a Chris Kreider goal, his fifteenth of the season, courtesy of Vincent Trocheck. Pittsburgh tied it in the second period with an Evgeni Malkin power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang. The Penguins took the lead with a Bryan Rust power play goal, his eighth of the season, with assists provided by Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Jason Zucker. Pittsburgh added on with a Crosby goal in the third period, his eighteenth of the year, via Jake Guentzel and Rickard Rakell. The Rangers got one back with a Kreider goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, fueled by Trocheck and Jonny Brodzinski. The final stood at 3-2, with the three stars being Crosby, Kreider, and Trocheck.
North to Toronto, as the Maple Leafs bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Matt Murray are the masked men. Toronto began in the first period with a Michael Bunting goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by William Nylander. The Maple Leafs added on in the second period with an Auston Matthews power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Rasmus Sandin and Mitch Marner. Tampa Bay got on the board in the third period with a Vladislav Namestnikov goal, his second of the season, via Steven Stamkos. Toronto replied with a Pierre Engvall empty net goal, his sixth of the year, set up by David Kampf and Mark Giordano. The Maple Leafs iced it at 4-1 with a Nylander empty net goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, with a helper from Calle Jarnkrok. The three stars were Nylander, Matthews, and Murray (18 for 19 in saves).
Westward to Winnipeg, where the Jets host the Ottawa Senators. Cam Talbot and David Rittich are set to start in goal. Winnipeg struck first in the first period with a Kevin Stenlund goal, assisted by David Gustafsson and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby. The Jets added on with a Josh Morrissey goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Dylan DeMelo and Kyle Connor. Ottawa got on the board with a Drake Batherson power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Thomas Chabot and Alex DeBrincat. Winnipeg replied with a Sam Gagner goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Brenden Dillon and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Jets extended the lead as Connor scored his fourteenth of the year, thanks to Morrissey and DeMelo. Winnipeg padded the lead on another Connor goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, fueled by Dubois and Jonsson-Fjallby. The final stood at 5-1, with the three stars going to Connor, Morrissey, and Dubois, while Jonsson-Fjallby and DeMelo get the honorable mentions.
Further west, the Seattle Kraken welcome the St. Louis Blues. Thomas Greiss and Martin Jones are the backups in goal. Seattle kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Ryan Donato goal, his of the season, assisted by Adam Larsson and Morgan Geekie. The Kraken added on in the second period with a Carson Soucy goal, his second of the year, passed from Will Borgen and Alexander Wennberg. Seattle extended the lead as Daniel Sprong scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Geekie and Brandon Tanev. The Kraken padded the lead on a Jared McCann goal, his fifteenth of the year, going in unassisted. St. Louis got on the board in the third period with a Colton Parayko goal, his second of the season, made possible by Logan Brown and Alexey Toropchenko. The Blues got closer with a Pavel Buchnevich power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Torey Krug and Brayden Schenn. Seattle responded with a Tanev empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, set up by Jaden Schwartz and Vince Dunn. The three stars of the 5-2 game were went to Geekie, Tanev, and Sprong.
Down in San Jose, the Sharks host the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and James Reimer protect the nets. Calgary drew first blood in the first period with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Dillon Dube and Elias Lindholm. The Flames added on with a Dube goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Lindholm and Toffoli. San Jose got on the board with a Nico Sturm goal, his ninth of the season, via Timo Meier. Calgary replied in the second period with a Trevor Lewis goal, his seventh of the year, made possible by Adam Ruzicka and Rasmus Andersson. The Sharks got one back with an Alexander Barabanov goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Scott Harrington and Matt Nieto. San Jose tied it on a Meier goal, his seventeenth of the year, fueled by Erik Karlsson. The Flames retook the lead on a Nazem Kadri goal, his twelfth of the season, guided in by Milan Lucic and Jonathan Huberdeau. Calgary extended the lead as Lucic scored his second of the year, thanks to Huberdeau. The Flames padded the lead on a Toffoli empty net goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, set up by Lindholm. Calgary finished it at 7-3 with a Kadri goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, passed from Huberdeau. The three stars belonged to Toffoli, Kadri, and Huberdeau, while Dube, Lindholm, Meier, and Lucic get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Lukas Dostal and Pheonix Copley are in the blue paint. Los Angeles got going in the second period with a Drew Doughty power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe. Anaheim tied it on a Frank Vatrano power play goal, his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Kevin Shattenkirk and Jakob Silfverberg. The Kings retook the lead with an Alex Iafallo goal, his third of the season, made possible by Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore. Los Angeles added on in the third period with a Viktor Arvidsson goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Arthur Kaliyev and Blake Lizotte. The Kings extended the lead as Kevin Fiala scored his tenth of the season, thanks to Kempe. The final held at 4-1, with the three stars being Kempe, Iafallo, and Copley (24 for 25 in saves).
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