We're back in action with eleven games coming out of the holiday break. First up...
The Carolina Hurricanes host the Chicago Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek and Antti Raanta are set to start in goal. Carolina began in the first period with a Martin Necas goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Brent Burns and Paul Stastny. The Hurricanes added on with a Jesper Fast goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei. Carolina extended the lead in the third period as Jordan Martinook scored his ninth of the season, thanks to Jordan Staal. The final was 3-0, and the three stars were Raanta (24 save shutout), Necas, and Fast.
Up in New York, the Rangers welcome the Washington Capitals. Darcy Kuemper and Igor Shesterkin tend the twines. Washington led off in the first period with a Marcus Johansson power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Erik Gustafsson. The Capitals added on in the second period with a Gustafsson goal, his fifth of the year, via Conor Sheary and Dylan Strome. Washington extended the lead as Lars Eller scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Anthony Mantha. The Capitals iced it at 4-0 in the third period with a Sheary shorthanded empty net goal, his eleventh of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were awarded to Kuemper (32 save shutout), Gustafsson, and Sheary.
Further north, the Ottawa Senators bring in the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Cam Talbot are the masked men. Ottawa got going in the second period with a Tim Stutzle power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Thomas Chabot and Drake Batherson. Boston tied it on a Jake DeBrusk goal, his fourteenth of the year, assisted by Patrice Bergeron and Charlie McAvoy. The Senators regained the lead on an Alex DeBrincat goal, his eleventh of the season, courtesy of Batherson and Nick Holden. The Bruins retied it on a Pavel Zacha goal in the third period his fourth of the year, passed from Hampus Lindholm and Charlie Coyle. The tie went to a shootout, where DeBrincat had the lone tally for a 3-2 Senators win. The three stars were DeBrincat, Talbot (49 for 51 in saves), and Batherson.
Back in New York, the Islanders host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Ilya Sorokin guard the cages. New York opened in the first period with an Anders Lee goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Brock Nelson. Pittsburgh tied it on a Pierre-Olivier Joseph goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. The Islanders pulled ahead in the second period with a Mathew Barzal goal, his sixth of the season, via Hudson Fasching and Josh Bailey. New York added on with a Bailey goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov. The Islanders extended the lead as Barzal scored his second of the game and seventh of the season, going in unassisted. New York padded the lead in the third period on a Lee goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, guided in by Nelson and Ryan Pulock. This made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars going to Barzal, Lee, and Bailey, while Nelson gets an honorable mention.
Westward to St. Louis, as the Blues welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ilya Samsonov and Jordan Binnington man the nets. Toronto struck first in the first period with a Justin Holl goal, his second of the season, via Auston Matthews and Mark Giordano. St. Louis retied it on a Calle Rosen goal, his third of the year, fueled by Logan Brown and Alexey Toropchenko. The Maple Leafs retook the lead on a John Tavares goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Mitch Marner and Calle Jarnkrok. Toronto added on in the second period with a shorthanded Alexander Kerfoot goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Jarnkrok and Timothy Liljegren. The Blues got one back with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Brayden Schenn. St. Louis tied it on a Justin Faulk power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Pavel Buchnevich and Vladimir Tarasenko. The Maple Leafs retook the lead on a Jarnkrok goal, his seventh of the season, with helpers from Pontus Holmberg and Pierre Engvall. The Blues tied it again in the third period with a Jordan Kyrou goal, his seventeenth of the year, guided in by Colton Parayko and Robert Thomas. Toronto won 5-4 in overtime with a William Nylander goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Jarnkrok, Nylander, and Kyrou.
Back east a bit to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Juuse Saros are between the pipes. Dallas started in the first period with a Jamie Benn goal, his fourteenth of the season, going in unassisted. Nashville tied it in the second period with a Filip Forsberg goal, his tenth of the year, assisted by Alexandre Carrier and Mattias Ekholm. The Stars retook the lead with a Roope Hintz power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen. The Predators tied it on a Yakov Trenin shorthanded goal, his third of the year, set up by Cole Smith and Jeremy Lauzon. Dallas took the lead in the third period with another Hintz goal, his second of the game and eighteenth of the campaign, via Benn and Joe Pavelski. The final was 3-2, with the three stars being Hintz, Benn, and Oettinger (26 for 28 in saves).
North to Winnipeg, as the Jets host the Minnesota Wild. Filip Gustavsson is mismatched with Connor Hellebuyck in goal. Minnesota kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Jared Spurgeon power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Ryan Hartman and Sam Steel. The Wild added on with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his sixteenth of the year, assisted by Kirill Kaprizov and Steel. Winnipeg got on the board with a Pierre-Luc Dubois goal, his sixteenth of the season, courtesy of Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey. Minnesota replied in the second period with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Zuccarello and Spurgeon. The Wild iced it at 4-1 in the third period with a Samuel Walker empty net goal, set up by Matt Boldy and Gaudreau. The three stars were Zuccarello, Spurgeon, and Gaudreau, while Steel gets an honorable mention.
Over in Calgary, the Flames welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Jacob Markstrom protect the nets. Calgary dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Mikael Backlund goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Andrew Mangiapane and Blake Coleman. Edmonton tied it on a Tyson Barrie goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Kailer Yamamoto. The Oilers took the lead in the third period with a Connor McDavid power play goal, his thirty-first of the season, powered by Leon Draisaitl. This held for a 2-1 win, with the three stars handed to Skinner (47 for 48 in saves), McDavid, and Barrie.
Down in Arizona, the Coyotes bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev faces a lesser foe in Connor Ingram in goal. Arizona was first to score in the first period with a Shayne Gostisbehere goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Jakob Chychrun and Clayton Keller. Colorado tied it on an Evan Rodrigues power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Cale Makar and J.T. Compher. The Coyotes retook the lead with a Lawson Crouse goal, his fourteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Nick Bjugstad. Arizona added on in the second period with a Nick Schmaltz power play goal, his seventh of the year, with assists provided by Nick Ritchie and Chychrun. The Avalanche got one back on a Makar goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Compher and Devon Toews. The Coyotes replied with a J.J. Moser goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Crouse and Juuso Valimaki. Arizona extended the lead in the third period as Michael Carcone scored, thanks to Crouse and Chychrun. Colorado got one back with a Mikko Rantanen goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, helped along by Erik Johnson and Samuel Girard. The Coyotes finished it at 6-3 with an empty net goal by Keller, his thirteenth of the year, set up by Schmaltz. The three stars were Crouse, Chychrun, and Schmaltz, while Keller, Makar, and Compher get the honorable mentions.
Next up, the Vancouver Canucks host the San Jose Sharks. James Reimer and Spencer Martin are in the creases. Vancouver drew first blood in the first period with a Bo Horvat goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, assisted by Brock Boeser and Ilya Mikheyev. The Canucks added on with an Elias Pettersson goal, his sixteenth of the year, fueled by Lane Pederson and Luke Schenn. San Jose got on the board with a Timo Meier power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Logan Couture and Erik Karlsson. Vancouver replied in the second period with a Mikheyev goal, his twelfth of the year, via Andrei Kuzmenko and Tyler Myers. The Canucks extended the lead as Quinn Hughes scored, thanks to Mikheyev and Horvat. Vancouver padded the lead on a Horvat goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the season, helped along by Boeser. The Sharks answered with a Meier goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, coming off of Karlsson. The Canucks replied with a Boeser goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Horvat and Mikheyev. This made it 6-2, the final, with the three stars handed to Horvat, Mikheyev, and Boeser, while Meier and Karlsson get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Vegas Golden Knights. Logan Thompson and Pheonix Copley are in the creases. Los Angeles cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Gabriel Vilardi goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Blake Lizotte. Vegas tied it on a Michael Amadio power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Alex Pietrangelo and Mark Stone. The Golden Knights took the lead with a Brayden McNabb goal in the second period, courtesy of Reilly Smith and Brayden Pachal. The Kings tied it on a Phillip Danault goal, his tenth of the season, via Viktor Arvidsson and Alex Iafallo. Los Angeles took the lead back with an Iafallo goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Arvidsson and Danault. The Kings iced it at 4-2 with an Arvidsson empty net goal, his tenth of the campaign, set up by Danault. The three stars were Danault, Arvidsson, and Iafallo.
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