Another busy day with 11 games on, beginning with...
The Boston Bruins hosting the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter Hart and Jeremy Swayman protect the nets. Boston opened in the first period with a David Pastrnak goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, assisted by Pavel Zacha and David Krejci. The Bruins added on with a Zacha goal, his sixth of the year, via Krejci and Hampus Lindholm. Boston extended the lead in the second period as Brad Marchand scored his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Matt Grzelcyk and Patrice Bergeron. The Bruins padded the lead on a Zacha goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, made possible by Krejci. Samuel Ersson replaced Hart in goal. Boston continued in the third period with a Pastrnak power play goal, his second of the game and thirty-fifth of the season, powered by Marchand and Charlie McAvoy. The Bruins kept going with a Grzelcyk goal, his third of the year, with helpers from McAvoy and Pastrnak. The final stayed at 6-0, with the three stars awarded to Pastrnak, Zacha, and Krejci, while Swayman (29 save shutout), Marchand, Grzelcyk, and McAvoy get the honorable mentions.
Along to Buffalo, as the Sabres welcome the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are the goalies. Florida started in the first period with a Brandon Montour goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Matthew Tkachuk. The Panthers added on in the second period with a Sam Bennett goal, his tenth of the year, via Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe. Florida extended the lead in the third period as Anton Lundell scored his fifth of the season, thanks to Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov. Buffalo got on the board with an Alex Tuch goal, his twenty-first of the year, going in unassisted. The Panthers iced it at 4-1 with a Verhaeghe empty net goal, his twentieth of the campaign, set up by Tkachuk and Gustav Forsling. The three stars were Tkachuk, Verhaeghe, and Bobrovsky (28 for 29 in saves).
Over in Colorado, the Avalanche bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Ville Husso and Pavel Francouz are set to start in goal. Colorado led off in the first period with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Cale Makar and Devon Toews. The Avalanche added on with a Makar power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin. Colorado extended the lead in the second period as Makar scored his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, thanks to MacKinnon and J.T. Compher. The Avalanche padded the lead on a Compher power play goal, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by Evan Rodrigues and Samuel Girard. Colorado continued on a MacKinnon goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Rodrigues and Toews. Detroit got on the board with an Andrew Copp goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by David Perron and Michael Rasmussen. Magnus Hellberg replaced Husso for the third period. The Red Wings got on the board in the third period with a Ben Chiarot goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Filip Hronek and Dylan Larkin. The Avalanche answered with a MacKinnon goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, going in unassisted. Detroit pulled one back on a Moritz Seider goal, his fourth of the campaign, guided in by Rasmussen and Copp. The three stars of the 6-3 game were MacKinnon, Makar, and Compher, while Rodrigues, Toews, Copp, and Rasmussen get the honorable mentions.
Up in Seattle, the Kraken host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Philipp Grubauer man the nets. Tampa Bay struck first in the first period with a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare goal, his second of the season, coming off of Ian Cole and Corey Perry. The Lightning added on with a Nick Paul goal in the third period, his sixteenth of the year, going in unassisted. Seattle got on the board with a Vince Dunn goal, his eighth of the season, via Adam Larsson. Tampa Bay replied with a Brandon Hagel empty net goal, his seventeenth of the year, set up by Alex Killorn and Erik Cernak. The Lightning iced it at 4-1 with a Victor Hedman empty net goal, his second of the campaign, with helpers from Hagel and Steven Stamkos. The three stars were Hagel, Vasilevskiy (22 for 23 in saves), and Paul.
South to San Jose, where the Sharks welcome the New Jersey Devils. Vitek Vanecek and James Reimer are in the creases. New Jersey began in the first period with a Ryan Graves goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Nico Hischier and Yegor Sharangovich. San Jose tied it on a Timo Meier goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, courtesy of Mikey Eyssimont and Erik Karlsson. The Sharks took the lead with a Karlsson power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Meier and Tomas Hertl. The Devils tied it in the third period with a Hischier goal, his twentieth of the year, guided in by Ondrej Palat and Jesper Bratt. San Jose regained the lead on a Nick Bonino goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Eyssimont and Matt Benning. New Jersey tied it on a Jack Hughes goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, coming off of Dougie Hamilton and Bratt. The Devils won 4-3 with Tomas Tatar netting the lone tally in the shootout. The three stars were Hischier, Bratt, and Karlsson, while Meier and Eyssimont get the honorable mentions.
Back east, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Logan Thompson guard the cages. Dallas kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Jamie Benn goal, his seventeenth of the season, via Ty Dellandrea. The Stars added on in the second period with a Joel Kiviranta goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Fredrik Olofsson and Miro Heiskanen. Dallas extended the lead in the third period as Ryan Suter scored, thanks to Nils Lundkvist and Dellandrea. The Stars iced it at 4-0 with a Tyler Seguin empty net goal, his twelfth of the campaign, set up by Joe Pavelski. The three stars were Oettinger (27 save shutout), Dellandrea, and Benn.
Further east, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Casey DeSmith are set to start in goal. Pittsburgh was first to score in the first period with a Jason Zucker goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell. Anaheim tied it with an Adam Henrique power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Mason McTavish and Troy Terry. The Penguins took the lead in the second period on a Malkin goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Rakell and Zucker. The Ducks tied it on a John Klingberg power play goal, his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Trevor Zegras and Terry in the third period. Anaheim took the lead with a Zegras goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Ryan Strome. Pittsburgh retied it with a Bryan Rust goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Jake Guentzel and Rakell. The Penguins won 4-3 in overtime with a Guentzel goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, guided in by Sidney Crosby. The three stars were Guentzel, Rakell, and Zegras, while Malkin, Zucker, and Terry get the honorable mentions.
Along to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets welcome the New York Rangers. Jaroslav Halak and Elvis Merzlikins patrol the creases. New York drew first blood in the first period with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Kaapo Kakko and Adam Fox. The Rangers added on with a Barclay Goodrow power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by K'Andre Miller and Kakko. New York extended the lead in the second period as Vitali Kravtsov scored his third of the season, thanks to Filip Chytil and Goodrow. Columbus got on the board in the third period with an Andrew Peeke goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Gustav Nyquist and Jack Roslovic. The final held at 3-1, with the three stars being Goodrow, Kakko, and Halak (24 for 25 in saves).
Next up, the New York Islanders bring in the Washington Capitals. Darcy Kuemper and Ilya Sorokin tend the twines. New York led off in the first period with a Sebastian Aho goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Josh Bailey and Noah Dobson. The Islanders added on with a Matt Martin goal, his fourth of the year, via Cal Clutterbuck and Alexander Romanov. New York extended the lead in the second period as Hudson Fasching scored his third of the season, thanks to Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anthony Beauvillier. Washington got on the board with a Garnet Hathaway goal, his seventh of the year, passed from Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Johansson. The Capitals got closer with a Tom Wilson goal, guided in by Nicklas Backstrom and Dmitry Orlov. Washington tied it in the third period as T.J. Oshie scored his ninth of the season, with the help of Erik Gustafsson and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals won 4-3 in overtime with an Orlov goal, his third of the year, helped along by Oshie and Sonny Milano. The three stars were Orlov, Oshie, and Wilson.
West again to St. Louis, where the Blues host the Ottawa Senators. Cam Talbot and Jordan Binnington are the veterans in goal. St. Louis began in the first period with a Jake Neighbours goal, his third of the season, via Calle Rosen and Josh Leivo. The Blues added on with a Noel Acciari goal, his tenth of the year, going in unassisted. Ottawa got on the board in the second period with a Tim Stutzle goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, assisted by Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson. This only made it 2-1, the eventual final, with the three stars going to Binnington (32 for 33 in saves), Acciari, and Neighbours.
Finally, the Nashville Predators host the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Juuse Saros are between the pipes. Nashville struck first in the first period with a Roman Josi goal, his twelfth of the season, via Ryan McDonagh and Matt Duchene. The Predators added on with a Juuso Parssinen goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Tanner Jeannot and Colton Sissons. Calgary got on the board in the second period with a Nikita Zadorov goal, his seventh of the campaign, guided in by Mikael Backlund and Andrew Mangiapane. The final held from here at 2-1, with the three stars being Saros (38 for 39 in saves), Parssinen, and Josi.
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