There's 12 games on this Thursday, beginning with...
The Philadelphia Flyers hosting the Minnesota Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury and Carter Hart man the nets. Philadelphia led off in the first period with a Scott Laughton goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Travis Sanheim and James van Riemsdyk. Minnesota tied it on an Oskar Sundqvist goal, his tenth of the year, via Frederick Gaudreau and Jake Middleton. The Flyers took the lead with a Joel Farabee goal in the second period, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Cam York and Noah Cates. The Wild tied it on a Matt Boldy goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, fueled by Marcus Johansson and Joel Eriksson Ek. Minnesota took the lead on a Marcus Foligno goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman. Philadelphia tied it again with a Rasmus Ristolainen power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Tony DeAngelo and Farabee. The Wild retook the lead in the third period with another Boldy goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the season, helped along by Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin. The Flyers tied it up with a Tyson Foerster goal, his second of the year, passed from DeAngelo and Morgan Frost. The tie lasted to a shootout, where van Riemsdyk had the lone tally for a 5-4 Flyers win. The three stars were Farabee, Boldy, and DeAngelo, while Eriksson Ek gets an honorable mention.
Over in Boston, the Bruins welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Jeremy Swayman patrol the creases. Boston started in the first period with a Tyler Bertuzzi goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Charlie Coyle and Jakub Zboril. The Bruins added on with a Jake DeBrusk goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, fueled by Connor Clifton and Patrice Bergeron. Montreal got on the board with a Nick Suzuki goal, his twenty-second of the season, guided in by Denis Gurianov and Kirby Dach. Boston answered in the second period with a David Pastrnak goal, his forty-ninth of the year, helped along by Bertuzzi. The Canadiens fired back on a Dach power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Mike Matheson and Suzuki. The Bruins replied with a David Krejci goal, his sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Clifton and Pastrnak. The final stayed at 4-2, with the three stars being Pastrnak, Bertuzzi, and Dach, while Suzuki and Clifton get the honorable mentions.
Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes bring in the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Frederik Andersen tend the twines. Carolina kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Sebastian Aho goal, his thirty-first of the season, made possible by Martin Necas. New York tied it in the second period with an Artemi Panarin goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, guided in by Mika Zibanejad and Vladimir Tarasenko. The Rangers took the lead in the third period with an Adam Fox goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Panarin and Zibanejad. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Shesterkin (29 for 30 in saves), Panarin, and Zibanejad.
Back north, the Detroit Red Wings host the St. Louis Blues. Joel Hofer and Magnus Hellberg are set to start in goal. Detroit began in the first period with a Simon Edvinsson goal, assisted by Jordan Oesterle and Filip Zadina. The Red Wings added on with a Jake Walman goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of David Perron and Dominik Kubalik. St. Louis got on the board with an Alexei Toropchenko goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Nathan Walker and Tyler Pitlick. The Blues tied it on a Brayden Schenn goal in the second period, his nineteenth of the year, coming off of Jordan Kyrou and Robert Bortuzzo. St. Louis took the lead with a Sammy Blais goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Colton Parayko and Calle Rosen. Alex Nedeljkovic replaced Hellberg in goal. The Blues extended the lead as Jake Neighbours scored his fifth of the year, thanks to Bortuzzo. Detroit got one back in the third period with an Alex Chiasson goal, his fifth of the campaign, with helpers from Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Bortuzzo, Neighbours, and Blais.
South to Florida, as the Panthers welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matt Murray and Sergei Bobrovsky are the masked men. Toronto opened in the first period with an Auston Matthews goal, his thirty-third of the season, assisted by Mitch Marner and Mark Giordano. Florida tied it on a Matthew Tkachuk power play goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, powered by Carter Verhaeghe and Brandon Montour. The Maple Leafs took the lead with a William Nylander goal, his thirty-sixth of the season, via John Tavares. Toronto added on with another Matthews goal, his second of the game and thirty-fourth of the year, guided in by Giordano and Justin Holl. The Panthers got one back with a Nick Cousins goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Aleksander Barkov and Josh Mahura. The Maple Leafs replied on a Michael Bunting power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, with assists provided by Tavares and Nylander. Toronto extended the lead as Alexander Kerfoot scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Tavares and Jake McCabe. The Maple Leafs padded the lead on a Marner shorthanded empty net goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, set up by David Kampf. The three stars of the 6-2 game were Matthews, Tavares, and Nylander, while Marner and Giordano get the honorable mentions.
Way up north, the Ottawa Senators bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brian Elliott and Mads Sogaard are the backups in goal. Ottawa struck first in the first period with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his twenty-second of the season, fueled by Drake Batherson and Shane Pinto. The Senators added on with another DeBrincat goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, guided in by Erik Brannstrom and Travis Hamonic. Tampa Bay got on the board in the second period with a Brayden Point goal, his forty-fifth of the season, via Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos. Ottawa replied with a Derick Brassard goal, his twelfth of the year, coming off of Claude Giroux and Jakob Chychrun on the power play. The Lightning answered in the third period with a Mikhail Sergachev power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Stamkos and Kucherov. The Senators replied on a Brannstrom goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. Ottawa extended the lead as Brady Tkachuk scored his thirty-first of the season on the power play, thanks to DeBrincat and Thomas Chabot. The Senators padded the lead with a Tkachuk empty net goal, his second of the game and thirty-second of the year, set up by Tim Stutzle. Ottawa finished it at 7-2 with an Austin Watson goal, his eighth of the campaign, helped along by Patrick Brown. The three stars were DeBrincat, Brannstrom, and Tkachuk, while Kucherov and Stamkos get the honorable mentions.
Stateside to DC, as the Washington Capitals host the Chicago Blackhawks. Anton Khudobin and Darcy Kuemper are the veterans in goal. Washington was first to score in the first period with a Conor Sheary goal, his fourteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Capitals added on with an Anthony Mantha goal, his eleventh of the year, coming off of Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Washington extended the lead as Nic Dowd scored his thirteenth of the season, thanks to Aliaksei Protas. The Capitals padded the lead on a Nicklas Backstrom power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Dylan Strome and John Carlson. Washington continued in the third period with a Carlson power play goal, his ninth of the season, with assists provided by Backstrom and Strome. Chicago got on the board with a Nikita Zaitsev goal, courtesy of Jason Dickinson and Tyler Johnson. The Capitals shot back on an Ovechkin goal, his forty-first of the year, an unassisted goal. This made it 6-1, the final, with the three stars going to Ovechkin, Carlson, and Backstrom, while Strome gets an honorable mention.
Along to Nashville, as the Predators welcome the Seattle Kraken. Joey Daccord is mismatched with Juuse Saros in goal. Seattle drew first blood in the first period with a Daniel Sprong goal, his eighteenth of the season, via Morgan Geekie and Vince Dunn. Nashville tied it in the second period with a Kiefer Sherwood goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Tyson Barrie and Thomas Novak. The tie went to a shootout, where Matt Duchene and Philip Tomasino tallied to give the Predators a 2-1 win. The three stars were Saros (28 for 29 in saves), Daccord (23 for 24 in saves), and Sherwood.
Out west, the Calgary Flames bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Logan Thompson and Jacob Markstrom protect the nets. Vegas started in the first period with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his twenty-third of the season, via Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights added on with a Michael Amadio goal, his twelfth of the year, courtesy of Shea Theodore and Ivan Barbashev. Calgary got on the board with a Milan Lucic goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Walker Duehr. Vegas replied in the third period with a Nicolas Roy goal, his twelfth of the year, passed from Phil Kessel and Chandler Stephenson. The Flames got one back with a Nazem Kadri power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars handed to Roy, Amadio, and Marchessault.
Back south, the Dallas Stars host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Casey DeSmith and Jake Oettinger patrol the creases. Dallas opened in the first period with a Roope Hintz goal, his thirty-third of the season, via Jason Robertson and Colin Miller. Pittsburgh tied it in the second period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his thirty-first of the year, courtesy of Jake Guentzel and Mark Friedman. The Stars took the lead in the third period with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Miro Heiskanen and Robertson. Dallas added on with a Jamie Benn goal, his thirty-first of the year, guided in by Max Domi and Evgenii Dadonov. The Penguins shot back with a Pierre-Olivier Joseph goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Danton Heinen and Ryan Poehling. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Robertson, Benn, and Pavelski.
To California, where the Anaheim Ducks welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Lukas Dostal are in the blue paint. Anaheim began in the first period with a Cam Fowler goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Max Jones and Troy Terry. Winnipeg tied it on a Mason Appleton goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Dylan DeMelo and Adam Lowry. The Jets took the lead in the second period with a Kyle Connor goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Nino Neiderreiter. The Ducks tied it in the third period Frank Vatrano power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Kevin Shattenkirk and Derek Grant. Winnipeg regained the lead on a Lowry goal, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Brenden Dillon and Neal Pionk. This produced the 3-2 final score, with the three stars given to Lowry, Connor, and Appleton.
Finally, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the San Jose Sharks. James Reimer and Thatcher Demko receive the starting nods in goal. Vancouver led off in the first period with an unassisted J.T. Miller goal, his twenty-ninth of the season. The Canucks added on with an Andrei Kuzmenko goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, via Elias Pettersson and Anthony Beauvillier. San Jose got on the board with a Tomas Hertl goal, his twentieth of the season, guided in by Erik Karlsson and Jacob Peterson. Vancouver replied with a Dakota Joshua goal, his tenth of the year, fueled by Conor Garland and Nils Aman. The Canucks extended the lead in the second period as Garland scored his twelfth of the season, with the help of Tyler Myers and Kuzmenko. The Sharks replied in the third period with a shorthanded Andrew Agozzino goal, set up by Noah Gregor. Vancouver fired back on a Vasily Podkolzin goal, his fourth of the year, with helpers from Myers and Joshua. The Canucks padded the lead on a Phillip Di Giuseppe goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Quinn Hughes and Miller. Vancouver iced it at 7-2 with a Sheldon Dries shorthanded goal, his eleventh of the year, set up by Di Giuseppe. The three stars were Miller, Kuzmenko, and Garland, while Di Giuseppe, Joshua, and Myers get the honorable mentions.
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