We've got eleven games on a busy Thursday, beginning with...
The Florida Panthers hosting the Montreal Canadiens. Sam Montembeault and Sergei Bobrovsky are in goal. Montreal started in the first period with a Mike Matheson goal, his seventh of the season, via Josh Anderson and Jonathan Drouin. Florida tied it on a Colin White goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Nick Cousins and Eric Staal. The Panthers took the lead with a Carter Verhaeghe goal, his thirty-third of the season, assisted by Sam Bennett. The Canadiens tied it again with an Anthony Richard goal, his third of the year, guided in by Kaiden Guhle. Florida retook the lead with a Gustav Forsling goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Matthew Tkachuk. Jake Allen replaced Montembeault in goal. Montreal tied it on a Michael Pezzetta goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Chris Tierney and Richard. The Panthers reclaimed the lead with an Aaron Ekblad goal, his eleventh of the season, courtesy of Eetu Luostarinen and Aleksander Barkov. Florida added on with a Ryan Lomberg goal, his tenth of the year, with helpers from Radko Gudas and Josh Mahura. The Panthers extended the lead as Sam Reinhart scored his twenty-fourth of the season, thanks to Mahura. Florida padded the lead on another Verhaeghe goal, his second of the game and thirty-fourth of the year, made possible by Tkachuk. The Canadiens got one back in the second period with a Rafael Harvey-Pinard goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Justin Barron and Joel Edmundson. The Panthers responded with an Ekblad power play goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, powered by Brandon Montour and Tkachuk. Florida kept going on a Tkachuk goal, his thirty-first of the season, with a lone helper from Barkov. Montembeault returned to the game in place of Allen. Montreal answered in the third period with a Rem Pitlick power play goal, his fifth of the year, with an assist provided by Matheson. The final stood at 9-5, with the three stars going to Tkachuk, Verhaeghe, and Ekblad, while Barkov, Matheson, Richard, and Mahura get the honorable mentions.
Up in New York, the Rangers welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Igor Shesterkin protect the nets. New York began in the first period with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his thirty-fifth of the season, passed from Artemi Panarin and Vladimir Tarasenko. Pittsburgh tied it in the second period with a Rickard Rakell goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Sidney Crosby. The Rangers took the lead with a Tyler Motte goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. The Penguins tied it in the third period on a Jake Guentzel goal, his thirtieth of the year, courtesy of Crosby and Rakell. New York took the lead with a Chris Kreider goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, assisted by Vincent Trocheck and Adam Fox. The Rangers iced it at 4-2 with a Kreider empty net goal, his second of the game and thirtieth of the year, set up by Trocheck and Zibanejad. The three stars were Kreider, Zibanejad, and Rakell, while Trocheck and Crosby get the honorable mentions.
Over in New Jersey, the Devils bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Akira Schmid are in the blue paint. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with a Ross Colton goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Mikhail Sergachev and Steven Stamkos. New Jersey tied it in the second period with a Tomas Tatar goal, his sixteenth of the year, via Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer. The Lightning took the lead with a Stamkos goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, coming off of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Erik Cernak. The Devils tied it in the third period with a Timo Meier goal, his thirty-third of the year, passed from Hischier and Damon Severson. Tampa Bay retook the lead on a Stamkos power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-ninth of the season, powered by Sergachev and Nikita Kucherov. New Jersey tied it on another Meier goal, his second of the game and thirty-fourth of the year, with helpers from Dougie Hamilton and Jack Hughes on the power play. The tie went to a shootout, where Colton and Alex Killorn lifted the Lightning to a 4-3 win over Yegor Sharangovich and the Devils. The three stars were Stamkos, Meier, and Sergachev, while Hischier and Colton get the honorable mentions.
Up in Ottawa, the Senators host the Colorado Avalanche. Jonas Johansson and Mads Sogaard are the inexperienced goalies. Colorado led off in the first period with a Cale Makar goal, his sixteenth of the season, made possible by Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche added on with a Valeri Nichushkin power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Makar and Rantanen. Ottawa got on the board with a Drake Batherson power play goal, his twentieth of the season, with assists provided by Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson. Colorado added on with a Rantanen goal, his forty-fifth of the year, passed from MacKinnon and Bowen Byram. The Senators got one back with a Shane Pinto goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Julien Gauthier and Erik Brannstrom. The Avalanche shot back with an Evan Rodrigues goal, his fourteenth of the year, via MacKinnon. Colorado extended the lead as Lars Eller scored his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. Ottawa got one back in the third period with a Travis Hamonic goal, his sixth of the year, with helpers from Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk. The Senators got closer with a Tkachuk power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, coming off of Stutzle and Sanderson. The final held at 5-4, with the three stars going to Rantanen, MacKinnon, and Makar, while Stutzle, Tkachuk, and Sanderson get the honorable mentions.
Back stateside, the Nashville Predators welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Stalock and Juuse Saros are the masked men. Chicago kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Lukas Reichel goal, his third of the season, via Andreas Athanasiou. The Blackhawks added on in the third period with a Joey Anderson goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Boris Katchouk. Nashville got on the board with a Roman Josi goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, courtesy of Matt Duchene. The final was 2-1, and the three stars were Stalock (35 for 36 in saves), Anderson, and Reichel.
North again to Winnipeg, where the Jets bring in the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Connor Hellebuyck guard the cages. Boston struck first in the first period with a Trent Frederic goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Tyler Bertuzzi and Charlie Coyle. The Bruins added on with a Pavel Zacha goal, his eighteenth of the year, fueled by Brandon Carlo and Dmitry Orlov. Boston iced it at 3-0 in the third period with a Tomas Nosek empty net goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by David Pastrnak. The three stars were Swayman (35 save shutout), Frederic, and Zacha.
West to Edmonton, where the Oilers host the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Stuart Skinner are the young goalies. Edmonton drew first blood in the first period with a Warren Foegele goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard. The Oilers added on with a Mattias Janmark goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Connor McDavid and Vincent Desharnais. Dallas got on the board with a Wyatt Johnston goal, his nineteenth of the season, via Miro Heiskanen and Ryan Suter. Edmonton answered with a McDavid power play goal, his fifty-seventh of the year, powered by Leon Draisaitl and Bouchard. The Oilers iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Janmark, his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were McDavid, Janmark, and Bouchard.
Down in Arizona, the Coyotes welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Ivan Prosvetov are in the creases. Vancouver was first to score in the first period with an Andrei Kuzmenko goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, via Anthony Beauvillier and Elias Pettersson. Arizona tied it on a Travis Boyd goal, his thirteenth of the year, courtesy of Liam O'Brien. The Coyotes took the lead with another Boyd goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, made possible by Clayton Keller and Barrett Hayton on the power play. Arizona added on in the third period with a Lawson Crouse power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Victor Soderstrom and Matias Maccelli. The Canucks got one back with a Pettersson goal, his thirty-first of the season, helped along by Beauvillier and Conor Garland. The final stayed at 3-2, with the three stars being Boyd, Pettersson, and Beauvillier.
Backtracking to Nevada, as the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Jonathan Quick are set to start in goal. Calgary cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a MacKenzie Weegar goal, his second of the season, via Rasmus Andersson and Tyler Toffoli. The Flames added on in the second period with a Toffoli goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, passed from Elias Lindholm. Vegas got on the board with a Zach Whitecloud goal, his third of the season, coming off of Reilly Smith and Michael Amadio. The Golden Knights tied it with a Smith goal, his twenty-third of the year, assisted by William Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo. Calgary took the lead back with a Blake Coleman goal, his fifteenth of the season, courtesy of Lindholm and Weegar. The Flames extended the lead on a Mikael Backlund power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Andersson and Toffoli. Calgary padded the lead on a Toffoli goal, his second of the game and twenty-eighth of the season, helped along by Andrew Mangiapane. The Flames continued with a Coleman empty net goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, set up by Noah Hanifin. Calgary finished it at 7-2 with a Dillon Dube goal, his eighteenth of the season, guided in by Nikita Zadorov and Jonathan Huberdeau. The three stars were awarded to Toffoli, Coleman, and Weegar, while Smith, Lindholm, and Andersson get the honorable mentions.
To California, where the Los Angeles Kings host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Daniil Tarasov and Pheonix Copley man the nets. Los Angeles got going in the second period with a Drew Doughty goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Carl Grundstrom and Rasmus Kupari. The Kings added on with an Anze Kopitar goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, via Quinton Byfield and Mikey Anderson. Los Angeles extended the lead as Viktor Arvidsson scored his nineteenth of the season, thanks to Trevor Moore and Phillip Danault. The Kings padded the lead on a Grundstrom goal, his eighth of the year, going in unassisted. Michael Hutchinson relieved Tarasov in goal. Columbus got on the board with a Kirill Marchenko goal, his seventeenth of the season, made possible by Gavin Bayreuther. The final held at 4-1, with the three stars going to Grundstrom, Copley (30 for 31 in saves), and Kopitar.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Seattle Kraken. Philipp Grubauer and James Reimer are between the pipes. San Jose dented the scoreboard in the third period with a William Eklund penalty shot goal, his second of the season. Seattle tied it on an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his fifteenth of the year, passed from Yanni Gourde and Adam Larsson. The Kraken won 2-1 in overtime with a Vince Dunn goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, assisted by Bjorkstrand and Jared McCann. The three stars were Bjorkstrand, Dunn, and Grubauer (31 for 32 in saves).
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