There's 16 games on this Saturday, a first in NHL history. We begin the full schedule with...
The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Antti Raanta and Devon Levi are set to start in goal. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Casey Mittelstadt goal, his eleventh of the season, via Jeff Skinner and Rasmus Dahlin. Carolina tied it on a Seth Jarvis goal, his fourteenth of the year, courtesy of Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Hurricanes took the lead with a Jesper Fast goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook. The Sabres tied it on a Dahlin power play goal in the second period, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Skinner and Alex Tuch. Carolina retook the lead with a Sebastian Aho goal, his thirty-fifth of the season, coming off of Teuvo Teravainen and Jesse Puljujarvi. Buffalo tied it again with another Mittelstadt goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, with helpers from Dahlin and Owen Power. Buffalo pulled ahead in the third period with a Tage Thompson goal, his forty-sixth of the campaign, guided in by Dylan Cozens. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Dahlin, Mittelstadt, and Skinner.
Over in Detroit, the Red Wings welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Ville Husso are between the pipes. Pittsburgh began in the first period with an Alex Nylander goal, assisted by Mikael Granlund and Jeff Carter. The Penguins added on with a Sidney Crosby goal, his thirty-second of the season, going in unassisted. Pittsburgh extended the lead in the second period as Danton Heinen scored his seventh of the year, thanks to Crosby. Detroit got on the board with a Pius Suter goal, his fourteenth of the season, made possible by Andrew Copp and Lucas Raymond. The Penguins replied in the third period with a Crosby power play goal, his second of the game and thirty-third of the year, powered by Kris Letang and Jake Guentzel. Pittsburgh padded the lead with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, fueled by Jason Zucker. The final held at 5-1, with the three stars going to Crosby, Jarry (19 for 20 in saves), and Heinen.
Down in Dallas, the Stars bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Jonathan Quick and Jake Oettinger patrol the creases. Vegas started in the first period with a Brett Howden goal, his sixth of the season, via Keegan Kolesar and Ben Hutton. Dallas tied it in the second period with a Joel Kiviranta goal, his eighth of the year, assisted by Radek Faksa and Thomas Harley. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Roope Hintz had the lone tally for a 2-1 Stars win. The three stars were Oettinger (19 for 20 in saves), Kiviranta, and Quick (24 for 25 in saves).
Out west, the San Jose Sharks host the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and James Reimer draw the starts in goal. Edmonton opened in the first period with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his thirty-seventh of the season, passed from Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid. San Jose tied it on a Tomas Hertl goal, his twenty-second of the year, via Jacob Peterson. The Oilers retook the lead on a McDavid goal, his sixty-third of the season, assisted by Warren Foegele. Edmonton added on in the second period with a Hyman goal, his thirty-sixth of the year, fueled by Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard. The Oilers extended the lead on a Derek Ryan shorthanded goal, his thirteenth of the season, set up by Nugent-Hopkins. Edmonton padded the lead as Philip Broberg scored in the third period, with helpers from Leon Draisaitl and Ryan. The Oilers continued with another McDavid goal, his second of the game and sixty-fourth of the year, made possible by Nugent-Hopkins and Bouchard. The final held at 6-1, with the three stars handed to McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, and Hyman, while Ryan and Bouchard get the honorable mentions.
Along to Arizona, as the Coyotes welcome the Anaheim Ducks. Olle Eriksson Ek and Ivan Prosvetov are the young goalies. Arizona struck first in the first period with a Christian Fischer goal, his thirteenth of the season, made possible by J.J. Moser and Jack McBain. Anaheim tied it on an Adam Henrique goal, his twentieth of the year, via Ryan Strome. The Coyotes took the lead in the second period with a Lawson Crouse power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, powered by Travis Boyd and Victor Soderstrom. Arizona added on with a Clayton Keller goal, his thirty-seventh of the year, fueled by Nick Schmaltz and Moser. The Ducks got one back with a Strome goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Max Jones and Derek Grant. Anaheim tied it in the third period with another Henrique goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the year, with assists provided by Strome and Trevor Zegras on the power play. The Ducks took the lead with a Jones goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Grant. The Coyotes retied it on a Matias Maccelli goal, his eleventh of the year, courtesy of Keller and Schmaltz. Arizona won 5-4 in overtime with a Barrett Hayton goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, with helpers from Maccelli and Juuso Valimaki.
Back east, the Columbus Blue Jackets bring in the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin faces a lesser foe in Michael Hutchinson in goal. New York was first to score in the first period with a Jimmy Vesey goal, his eleventh of the season, courtesy of Tyler Motte and Barclay Goodrow. The Rangers added on with a Chris Kreider goal, his thirty-sixth of the year, via Mika Zibanejad and K'Andre Miller. New York extended the lead in the third period as Niko Mikkola scored, thanks to Zibanejad and Patrick Kane. The Rangers padded the lead on a Vincent trocheck goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, passed from Vladimir Tarasenko. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars going to Shesterkin (20 save shutout), Zibanejad, and Vesey.
Up in Ottawa, the Senators host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brian Elliott and Cam Talbot are playing in goal. Ottawa kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Drake Batherson goal, his twenty-second of the season, guided in by Erik Brannstrom and Alex DeBrincat. Tampa Bay tied it on an Alex Killorn power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, powered by Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman. The Senators took the lead with a Julien Gauthier goal, his ninth of the season, courtesy of Dylan Gambrell and Jake Sanderson. Ottawa added on in the second period with a Patrick Brown goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Mark Kastelic and Artem Zub. The Lightning got one back with a Brandon Hagel goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, via Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov on the power play. Tampa Bay tied it on a Hedman power play goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Kucherov and Stamkos. The Senators pulled ahead with a power play goal by DeBrincat, his twenty-seventh of the season, fueled by Shane Pinto and Tim Stutzle. Ottawa extended the lead in the third period as Egor Sokolov scored, going in unassisted. The Lightning responded with a Brayden Point goal, his forty-ninth of the year, helped along by Hedman and Mikey Eyssimont. The Senators fired back on a Kastelic goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Sanderson. Ottawa iced it at 7-4 with an empty net goal by Claude Giroux, his thirty-second of the year, set up by Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk. The three stars were DeBrincat, Kastelic, and Stamkos, while Hedman, Stutzle, Sanderson, and Kucherov get the honorable mentions.
Also in Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Sam Montembeault and Ilya Samsonov draw the starts in goal. Toronto drew first blood in the first period with a Mitch Marner power play goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, powered by Auston Matthews and Erik Gustafsson. The Maple Leafs added on with a John Tavares power play goal, his thirty-fourth of the year, with assists provided by Marner and Ryan O'Reilly. Montreal got on the board in the second period with a Johnathan Kovacevic goal, his third of the season, coming off of Mike Matheson and Nick Suzuki. Toronto replied with a William Nylander goal, his thirty-eighth of the year, via O'Reilly. The Maple Leafs extended the lead as Marner scored his second of the game and thirtieth of the season, thanks to Michael Bunting and Matthews. Toronto padded the lead in the third period on a Tavares power play goal, his second of the game and thirty-fifth of the year, with helpers from O'Reilly and Gustafsson. The Maple Leafs kept going on a Matthews goal, his thirty-ninth of the season, going in unassisted. Toronto finished it at 7-1 with a Bunting goal, his twenty-third of the year, guided in by Matthews and Gustafsson. The three stars were Marner, Matthews, and Gustafsson, while Tavares, O'Reilly, and Bunting get the honorable mentions.
Stateside, the Washington Capitals bring in the Florida Panthers. Alex Lyon and Charlie Lindgren man the nets. Washington got going in the second period with a Dylan Strome goal, his twenty-first of the season, passed from Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas. Florida tied it on a Carter Verhaeghe goal, his forty-first of the year, assisted by Brandon Montour and Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers took the lead with an Aaron Ekblad power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk. The Capitals retied it on a Wilson goal, his tenth of the year, made possible by Conor Sheary and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Florida took the lead in the third period with a Tkachuk goal, his fortieth of the season, going in unassisted. The Panthers iced it at 4-2 with a Reinhart empty net goal, his thirty-first of the year, set up by Tkachuk and Barkov. The three stars were Tkachuk, Barkov, and Reinhart, while Wilson gets an honorable mention.
Northwest to Winnipeg, where the Jets host the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Connor Hellebuyck guard the cages. Winnipeg dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Mark Scheifele goal, his fortieth of the season, via Vladislav Namestnikov and Josh Morrissey. The Jets added on in the third period with a Neal Pionk goal, his tenth of the year, coming off of Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler. The final held at 2-0, with the three stars being Hellebuyck (28 save shutout), Scheifele, and Pionk.
East again to New York, as the Islanders welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter Hart and Ilya Sorokin protect the nets. New York led off in the first period with a Scott Mayfield goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Simon Holmstrom and Bo Horvat. The Islanders added on in the second period with a Brock Nelson goal, his thirty-fourth of the year, via Noah Dobson. New York extended the lead as Bolduc scored his second of the season, thanks to Horvat and Holmstrom. Felix Sandstrom replaced Hart in goal for the third period. The Islanders padded the lead in the third period on a Hudson Fasching goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Dobson. The final held at 4-0, with the three stars going to Sorokin (27 save shutout), Horvat, and Dobson, while Holmstrom gets an honorable mention.
Up in Boston, the Bruins bring in the New Jersey Devils. Mackenzie Blackwood and Linus Ullmark are in the blue paint. Boston opened in the first period with a Pavel Zacha power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Hampus Lindholm and Tyler Bertuzzi. The Bruins added on with another Zacha goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, guided in by David Pastrnak and Bertuzzi. New Jersey got on the board with a Jesper Bratt goal, his thirty-second of the season, via Jack Hughes and Ondrej Palat. This only made it 2-1, the eventual final, with the three stars going to Zacha, Ullmark (29 for 30 in saves), and Bertuzzi.
Westward again to Minnesota, as the Wild host the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Filip Gustavsson patrol the creases. St. Louis began in the first period with a Sammy Blais goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Justin Faulk and Jakub Vrana. Minnesota tied it on a Ryan Hartman shorthanded goal, his fifteenth of the year, going in unassisted. The Wild took the lead with a Sam Steel shorthanded goal, his tenth of the season, set up by Hartman. Minnesota added on in the second period with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Gustav Nyquist and John Klingberg. The Wild extended the lead as Jared Spurgeon scored his eleventh of the season, thanks to Nyquist and Steel. The Blues got one back in the third period with a Jake Neighbours goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Brayden Schenn and Faulk. St. Louis got closer with a Pavel Buchenvich goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, with helpers from Nick Leddy and Kasperi Kapanen. Minnesota iced it at 5-3 with a Jonas Brodin empty net goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Hartman, Steel, and Nyquist, while Faulk gets an honorable mention.
Next up, the Seattle Kraken welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek and Martin Jones are the veterans in goal. Seattle started in the first period with an Eeli Tolvanen goal, his eighteenth of the season, courtesy of Jesper Froden and Jamie Oleksiak. Chicago tied it on a Seth Jones goal, his eleventh of the year, via Anders Bjork and Andreas Athanasiou. The Kraken took the lead back with a Jordan Eberle goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Oleksiak. Seattle added on with a Yanni Gourde power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Eberle and Daniel Sprong. The Blackhawks got one back in the second period with a Seth Jones power play goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the season, helped along by Lukas Reichel and Athanasiou. The Kraken responded with an Adam Larsson goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Jared McCann and Oleksiak. Seattle extended the lead as Sprong scored his twenty-first of the season, thanks to Justin Schultz. Chicago answered with a Reichel goal, his seventh of the year, made possible by Alex Vlasic and Jason Dickinson. Philipp Grubauer replaced Jones in goal for the third period. The Kraken shot back with a McCann goal in the third period, his thirty-ninth of the season, coming off of Oliver Bjorkstrand. Seattle padded the lead as Morgan Geekie scored his ninth of the year, with the help of Sprong and Ryan Donato. The final stood at 7-3, with the three stars going to Sprong, Oleksiak, and McCann, while Eberle, Seth Jones, Reichel, and Athanasiou get the honorable mentions.
In Canada once more, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Thatcher Demko play between the pipes. Vancouver struck first in the first period with a Cole McWard goal, via Dakota Joshua and Jack Studnicka. The Canucks added on with a shorthanded Elias Pettersson goal, his thirty-eighth of the season, set up by J.T. Miller. Calgary got on the board in the third period with an Elias Lindholm goal, his twenty-second of the year, guided in by Dillon Dube and Tyler Toffoli. The Flames tied it on a Nazem Kadri goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, made possible by Noah Hanifin. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Andrei Kuzmenko's lone tally lifted the Canucks to a 3-2 win. The three stars were Demko (41 for 43 in saves), Pettersson, and McWard.
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev and Pheonix Copley are given the green light to start in goal. Colorado got going in the second period with a Denis Malgin goal, his eleventh of the season, passed from J.T. Compher and Kurtis MacDermid. The Avalanche added on with an Alex Newhook goal, his fourteenth of the year, via Devon Toews. Los Angeles got on the board with an Adrian Kempe goal, his thirty-seventh of the season, coming off of Anze Kopitar and Quinton Byfield. The Kings tied it on a Viktor Arvidsson power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Kempe and Kopitar. Colorado took the lead in the third period with a Brad Hunt goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Lars Eller. The Avalanche added on with another Malgin goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, fueled by Valeri Nichushkin. Los Angeles got one back with a Kempe goal, his second of the game and thirty-eighth of the season, with helpers from Vladislav Gavrikov and Kopitar. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Malgin, Kempe, and Kopitar.
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