NHL 2023-24 - Day 31

There's 11 games on this Thursday, beginning with...

The Boston Bruins hosting the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Linus Ullmark tend the twines. Boston struck first in the first period with a Trent Frederic goal, his third of the season, courtesy of James van Riemsdyk and Charlie Coyle. New York tied it on a Brock Nelson power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Noah Dobson and Mathew Barzal. The Bruins regained the lead in the second period with a Charlie Coyle power play goal, his third of the season, helped along by Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak. The Islanders tied it on a shorthanded Simon Holmstrom goal in the third period, his fourth of the year, set up by Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Alexander Romanov. Boston retook the lead with a David Pastrnak power play goal, his tenth of the season, with assists provided by Brad Marchand and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Bruins added on with a Coyle goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, guided in by van Riemsdyk and Frederic. Boston extended the lead as Coyle completed his hat trick on his fifth of the season, an empty net goal made possible by Pastrnak and Marchand. The final was 5-2, and the three stars went to Coyle, Pastrnak, and Frederic, while Marchand and van Riemsdyk get the honorable mentions.

Over in Detroit, the Red Wings welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Cayden Primeau and James Reimer start in goal. Montreal started in the first period with a Mike Matheson goal, his third of the season, coming off of Alex Newhook. Detroit tied it in the second period with a Christian Fischer goal, via Michael Rasmussen and Ben Chiarot. The Canadiens took the lead in the third period with a Nick Suzuki power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Matheson and Sean Monahan. The Red Wings tied it on a J.T. Compher goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. Montreal won 3-2 in overtime with a Cole Caufield power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Matheson and Suzuki. The three stars were Matheson, Suzuki, and Caufield.

In Ottawa, the Senators bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Casey DeSmith and Anton Forsberg man the nets. Vancouver began in the first period with a Brock Boeser goal, his eleventh of the season, passed from Phillip Di Giuseppe and Filip Hronek. The Canucks added on with an Ilya Mikheyev goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko. Ottawa got on the board with a Drake Batherson goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Senators tied it in the second period with an Artem Zub goal, his second of the year, coming off of Parker Kelly and Matthew Highmore. Vancouver retook the lead with a J.T. Miller goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Di Giuseppe and Ian Cole. The Canucks extended the lead in the third period as Mikheyev scored his fifth of the year, thanks to Pettersson and Kuzmenko. Vancouver padded the lead on a Pettersson power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Quinn Hughes and Miller. The final stood at 5-2, with the three stars going to Mikheyev, Pettersson, and Miller, while Di Giuseppe and Kuzmenko get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the New York Rangers host the Minnesota Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury faces a lesser foe in Louis Domingue in goal. New York led off in the first period with a Vincent Trocheck goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Alexis Lafreniere and Erik Gustafsson. Minnesota tied it in the second period with a Brandon Duhaime goal, his third of the year, guided in by Brock Faber and Ryan Hartman. The Rangers took the lead in the third period with a Lafreniere goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Artemi Panarin and Trocheck. New York added on with a Blake Wheeler power play goal, powered by Will Cuylle and Lafreniere. The Rangers iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Panarin, his eighth of the year, set up by Trocheck and Jacob Trouba. The three stars were Trocheck, Lafreniere, and Panarin.

Way south to Tampa Bay, as the Lightning welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek and Jonas Johansson are between the pipes. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with an Anthony Cirelli power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Brandon Hagel and Mikhail Sergachev. Chicago tied it on a Connor Bedard goal, his sixth of the year, via Philipp Kurashev. The Lightning took the lead on a Nikita Kucherov goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Tanner Jeannot and Victor Hedman. The Blackhawks tied it on a Kevin Korchinski goal, passed from Ryan Donato and MacKenzie Entwistle. Chicago took the lead with a Tyler Johnson goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Bedard and Nick Foligno. The Blackhawks added on with another Bedard goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, fueled by Foligno and Kurashev. Chicago extended the lead as Corey Perry scored his third of the year on the power play in the second period, thanks to Bedard and Foligno. Tampa Bay pulled one back with a Steven Stamkos goal, his fifth of the season, with helpers from Cirelli and Brayden Point. This only made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars being Bedard, Foligno, and Kurashev, while Cirelli gets an honorable mention.

Back north, the Columbus Blue Jackets bring in the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Spencer Martin patrol the creases. Columbus was first to score in the first period with a Boone Jenner goal, his seventh of the season, via Johnny Gaudreau and Jack Roslovic. The Blue Jackets added on with a Kirill Marchenko goal, his third of the year, assisted by Adam Fantilli and Dmitri Voronkov. Dallas got on the board with a Mason Marchment goal, his third of the season, passed from Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin. The Stars tied it in the second period with a Craig Smith goal, courtesy of Radek Faksa and Esa Lindell. Dallas pulled ahead with a Duchene goal, his third of the year, coming off of Nils Lundkvist. The Stars extended the lead as Seguin scored his second of the season in the third period, with the help of Lundkvist and Duchene. Dallas iced it at 5-2 with a Jason Robertson empty net goal, his third of the year, set up by Joe Pavelski. The three stars were awarded to Duchene, Seguin, and Lundkvist.

Onward to St. Louis, as the Blues host the Arizona Coyotes. Karel Vejmelka and Joel Hofer receive the starts in goal. St. Louis drew first blood in the first period with an Oskar Sundqvist goal, his second of the season, assisted by Sammy Blais and Jakub Vrana. Arizona tied it on a Lawson Crouse power play goal, his fifth of the year, via Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. The Blues took the lead in the second period with a Robert Thomas goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Pavel Buchnevich and Torey Krug. The final held at 2-1, with the three stars being Hofer (19 for 20 in saves), Thomas, and Sundqvist.

North to Winnipeg, as the Jets welcome the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Laurent Brossoit are in the creases. Winnipeg kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Mason Appleton goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Adam Lowry and Nino Niederreiter. Nashville tied it on a Filip Forsberg goal, his third of the year, via Gustav Nyquist. The Jets took the lead in the second period with a Kyle Connor goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Mark Scheifele and Alex Iafallo. Winnipeg added on with another Connor goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, guided in by Scheifele and Dylan DeMelo. The Jets extended the lead as Cole Perfetti scored his third of the season on the power play, powered by Scheifele and Connor. The Predators got one back with a Forsberg goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, with a helper from Tyson Barrie. Winnipeg fired back in the third period with a Brenden Dillon goal, fueled by DeMelo and Morgan Barron. Nashville countered with a Philip Tomasino goal, helped along by Barrie and Marc Del Gaizo. The Jets responded with a Connor empty net goal to complete his hat trick with his eleventh of the campaign, set up by Scheifele. The final stood at 6-3, with the three stars given to Connor, Forsberg, and Scheifele, while DeMelo and Barrie get the honorable mentions.

Southwest to Colorado, as the Avalanche bring in the Seattle Kraken. Philipp Grubauer and Ivan Prosvetov are in the blue paint. Seattle led off in the first period with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Tye Kartye and Vince Dunn. The Kraken added on with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Jamie Oleksiak and Adam Larsson. Colorado got on the board with a Bowen Byram goal, his third of the season, guided in by Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen. Seattle shot back with a Matty Beniers power play goal, powered by Dunn and Schwartz. The Avalanche answered with a MacKinnon goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen. Colorado tied it in the third period with a Valeri Nichushkin goal, his second of the season, coming off of Devon Toews and MacKinnon. The Kraken took the lead with a Bjorkstrand goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, made possible by Eeli Tolvanen and Larsson. This held for a 4-3 win, with the three stars given to Bjorkstrand, Schwartz, and MacKinnon, while Larsson and Dunn get the honorable mentions.

Out in California, the Los Angeles Kings welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Magnus Hellberg and Pheonix Copley are the backups in goal. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his seventh of the season, going in unassisted. Los Angeles tied it on a Carl Grundstrom shorthanded goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Anze Kopitar and Matt Roy. The Kings pulled ahead in the second period with an Adrian Kempe goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Mikey Anderson and Quinton Byfield. The Penguins retied it on a Lars Eller shorthanded goal, his second of the year, an unassisted goal. Pittsburgh pulled ahead on a Jake Guentzel goal in the third period, his fifth of the season, via Crosby and Erik Karlsson. Los Angeles tied it on a Kevin Fiala goal, his second of the year, guided in by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jordan Spence. The Penguins won 4-3 in overtime with a Bryan Rust goal, his seventh of the campaign, with helpers from Evgeni Malkin and Karlsson. The three stars were Crosby, Karlsson, and Rust.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Mackenzie Blackwood are the goalies. San Jose struck first in the first period with a Fabian Zetterlund goal, his fourth of the season, via Tomas Hertl and William Eklund. Edmonton tied it in the second period with a Darnell Nurse goal, his third of the year, passed from Leon Draisaitl and Warren Foegele. The Sharks took the lead on a Hertl goal, his second of the season, assisted by Zetterlund and Nikita Okhotiuk. San Jose added on in the third period with a Filip Zadina goal, his third of the year, guided in by Nico Sturm and Ryan Carpenter. The Oilers got one back with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his third of the season, coming off of Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm. This only made it 3-2, with the three stars going to Hertl, Zetterlund, and Zadina. 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 30

It's just a three-game day this Wednesday, beginning with...

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Ottawa Senators. Joonas Korpisalo and Joseph Woll are the goalies. Toronto started in the first period with a William Nylander power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Auston Matthews and John Tavares. Ottawa tied it on a Dominik Kubalik goal, his third of the year, via Tyler Kleven and Roby Jarventie. The Senators took the lead in the second period with a Claude Giroux goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Mathieu Joseph and Tim Stutzle. The Maple Leafs tied it on a Tyler Bertuzzi goal, his third of the year, passed from Nylander and Tavares. Ottawa regained the lead on a Jakob Chychrun goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Stutzle and Joseph. Toronto retied it in the third period with a Nicholas Robertson goal, coming off of Max Domi and Calle Jarnkrok. The Senators took the lead with a Kubalik power play goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, with assists provided by Chychrun and Vladimir Tarasenko. Ottawa added on with a Stutzle goal, his third of the season, helped along by Joseph and Giroux. The Senators extended the lead as Giroux scored his second of the game and fifth of the year, thanks to Stutzle. The final held at 6-3, with the three stars going to Giroux, Stutzle, and Kubalik, while Joseph, Chychrun, Nylander, and Tavares get the honorable mentions.

Stateside, the Washington Capitals welcome the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Darcy Kuemper guard the cages. Washington opened in the first period with an Anthony Mantha goal, his second of the season, coming off of Aliaksei Protas and the goalie Kuemper. Florida tied it on an Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal, his third of the year, guided in by Matthew Tkachuk and Anton Lundell. The Panthers took the lead with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his fourth of the season, via Sam Reinhart. The Capitals retied it on a Connor McMichael shorthanded goal in the second period, his third of the year, set up by Protas and Martin Fehervary. Washington took the lead with another Mantha goal, his second of the game and third of the season, helped along by McMichael. Florida tied it in the third period with an Evan Rodrigues goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Gustav Forsling and Ekman-Larsson. The Panthers won 4-3 in overtime with a Reinhart goal, his ninth of the campaign, with helpers from Barkov and Rodrigues. The three stars were Reinhart, Rodrigues, and Barkov, while Ekman-Larsson, Mantha, Protas, and McMichael get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Cam Talbot and Adin Hill are the masked men. Los Angeles got going in the second period with an Adrian Kempe goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Jordan Spence and Anze Kopitar. The Kings added on with a Trevor Moore power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Spence and Phillip Danault. Los Angeles extended the lead in the third period as Pierre-Luc Dubois scored his fourth of the season on the power play, thanks to Kempe and Kevin Fiala. Vegas got on the board with a William Karlsson goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Mark Stone and Alex Pietrangelo. The Kings iced it at 4-1 with a Kopitar empty net goal, his seventh of the campaign, set up by Quinton Byfield. The three stars were Kempe, Kopitar, and Spence. 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 29

It's a 10-game slate this Tuesday, beginning with...

The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Antti Raanta are the Finnish goalies. Carolina began in the first period with a Tony DeAngelo power play goal, going in unassisted. Buffalo tied it in the second period on an Alex Tuch goal, his fourth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Hurricanes took the lead in the third period with a Brady Skjei goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Sebastian Aho and Dmitry Orlov. The Sabres tied it again with a Rasmus Dahlin power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Tage Thompson and Casey Mittelstadt. Carolina won 3-2 in overtime with a Martin Necas goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Aho and Skjei. The three stars were Skjei, Aho, and Necas.

Up in Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Matt Tomkins is mismatched with Jake Allen in goal. Tampa Bay led off in the first period with a Nikita Kucherov goal, his tenth of the season, courtesy of Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point. The Lightning added on with a Nick Paul goal, his sixth of the year, via Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Alex Barre-Boulet scored his fourth of the season on the power play, powered by Hagel and Mikhail Sergachev. The Lightning padded the lead on a Mikey Eyssimont goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Hedman and Erik Cernak. Sam Montembeault replaced Allen in goal. Montreal got on the board in the third period with a Nick Suzuki goal, his fourth of the season, with assists provided by Cole Caufield and Sean Monahan on the power play. The Canadiens got closer with a Michael Pezzetta goal, helped along by Jake Evans and Kaiden Guhle. Tampa Bay fired back with a Paul power play goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, fueled by Kucherov and Stamkos. Montreal got one back with a Christian Dvorak goal, made possible by Jordan Harris. The final stood at 5-3, with the three stars going to Paul, Kucherov, and Hagel, while Hedman and Stamkos get the honorable mentions.

In New York, the Islanders bring in the Minnesota Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury and Semyon Varlamov are the veterans in goal. Minnesota opened in the first period with a Pat Maroon goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Joel Eriksson Ek and Jake Middleton. New York tied it on a Noah Dobson goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck. The Islanders took the lead in the second period with an Oliver Wahlstrom power play goal, via Pierre Engvall and Sebastian Aho. The Wild tied it on a Vinni Lettieri goal, assisted by Matt Boldy and Brock Faber. Minnesota took the lead with a Kirill Kaprizov power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Johansson. The Wild added on with an Eriksson Ek goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Maroon. The final stood at 4-2, with the three stars going to Eriksson Ek, Maroon, and Lettieri.

Across town, the New York Rangers host the Detroit Red Wings. Ville Husso and Jonathan Quick start in goal. New York started in the first period with a Vincent Trocheck goal, his second of the season, assisted by Erik Gustafsson. The Rangers added on in the second period with a Chris Kreider power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Gustafsson and Artemi Panarin. New York extended the lead as Trocheck scored his second of the game and third of the season on the power play, thanks to Mika Zibanejad and Kreider. The Rangers padded the lead on a Panarin goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Alexis Lafreniere. New York continued with a Will Cuylle goal, his third of the season, passed from Zac Jones and Braden Schneider. Detroit got on the board in the third period with a Michael Rasmussen goal, his second of the year, coming off of Ben Chiarot and Jeff Petry. The Red Wings got closer with a Klim Kostin goal, passed from Chiarot and Christian Fischer. Detroit got closer with an Andrew Copp goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by J.T. Compher and the goalie Husso. The final stood at 5-3, with the three stars going to Trocheck, Panarin, and Kreider, while Gustafsson and Chiarot get the honorable mentions.

Out west, the St. Louis Blues welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Jordan Binnington protect the nets. Winnipeg struck first in the first period with a Mark Scheifele power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Alex Iafallo and Kyle Connor. The Jets added on with a Neal Pionk goal, via Scheifele and Iafallo. St. Louis got on the board with a Robert Thomas goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Tyler Tucker and Kasperi Kapanen. Winnipeg replied with a Connor power play goal, his seventh of the season, with assists provided by Josh Morrissey and Iafallo. The Jets extended the lead in the third period as Connor scored his second of the game and eighth of the year, with the help of Scheifele and Iafallo. The Blues got one back with a Brayden Schenn goal, his second of the season, assisted by Torey Krug and Justin Faulk. Winnipeg iced it at 5-2 with a Cole Perfetti empty net goal, his second of the year, set up by Morrissey. The three stars went to Connor, Iafallo, and Scheifele, while Morrissey gets an honorable mention.

Down in Arizona, the Coyotes bring in the Seattle Kraken. Joey Daccord and Connor Ingram are the backups in goal. Seattle kicked off the scoring in the first period with an Eeli Tolvanen goal, his third of the season, via Yanni Gourde and Jamie Oleksiak. Arizona tied it on a Matias Maccelli goal, his second of the year, coming off of Nick Bjugstad and Travis Dermott. The Coyotes took the lead in the second period with a power play goal by Barrett Hayton, powered by Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. The Kraken retied it on a Justin Schultz goal, his second of the year, assisted by Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle. Seattle pulled ahead with a Jaden Schwartz power play goal, his sixth of the season, with assists provided by Beniers and Tolvanen. Arizona tied it on a Keller power play goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Schmaltz and Sean Durzi. The tie went to a shootout, where Bjugstad's lone tally gave the Coyotes a 4-3 win. The three stars went to Keller, Tolvanen, and Schmaltz, while Bjugstad and Beniers get the honorable mentions.

North to Calgary, as the Flames host the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Jacob Markstrom guard the cages. Nashville was first to score in the first period with a Michael McCarron goal, assisted by Liam Foudy and Marc Del Gaizo. The Predators added on with a Kiefer Sherwood goal, his third of the season, coming off of Luke Evangelista and Thomas Novak. Calgary got on the board in the second period with a Dillon Dube goal, his second of the year, guided in by Nikita Zadorov and Nick DeSimone. The Flames tied it on a Noah Hanifin goal, his second of the season, fueled by Yegor Sharangovich and Chris Tanev. Calgary took the lead on a Blake Coleman goal, his third of the year, helped along by Nazem Kadri and DeSimone. The Flames extended the lead as Kadri scored an empty net goal, his second of the season, set up by Sharangovich and Connor Zary. The three stars were Kadri, Sharangovich, and DeSimone in the 4-2 game.

Back stateside, the Anaheim Ducks welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and John Gibson are between the pipes. Pittsburgh drew first blood in the first period with a Radim Zohorna goal, his third of the season, passed from Lars Eller and Erik Karlsson. Magnus Hellberg replaced an injured Jarry late in the second period. The Penguins iced it at 2-0 with a Sidney Crosby empty net goal in the third period, his sixth of the year, set up by Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang. The three stars were Jarry (21 for 21 in saves), Zohorna, and Crosby.

Over in Colorado, the Avalanche bring in the New Jersey Devils. Vitek Vanecek and Alexandar Georgiev are the masked men. New Jersey dented the scoreboard in the first period with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his eighth of the season, via John Marino and Michael McLeod. Colorado tied it on a Mikko Rantanen power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche pulled ahead in the second period with a Ross Colton goal, his third of the season, passed from Miles Wood and Logan O'Connor. The Devils tied it again with a Timo Meier power play goal, his third of the year, with assists provided by Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton. Colorado retook the lead with a shorthanded Wood goal, his second of the season, set up by Valeri Nichushkin and Makar. New Jersey tied it with a Hamilton power play goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Toffoli and Ondrej Palat. The Avalanche retook the lead with a Ryan Johansen goal, his fifth of the season, going in unassisted. Colorado added on with a MacKinnon goal, his fifth of the year, with helpers from Rantanen and Makar. The Avalanche iced it at 6-3 with a Rantanen empty net goal, his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Rantanen, Makar, and MacKinnon, while Wood, Toffoli, and Hamilton get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson and Mackenzie Blackwood are in the creases. San Jose cracked the scoresheet in the first period with an Anthony Duclair goal, his third of the season, coming off of Kevin Labanc and Mikael Granlund. The Sharks added on with a William Eklund power play goal in the second period, his second of the year, powered by Duclair. Philadelphia got on the board with a Joel Farabee goal, his sixth of the season, via Travis Sanheim and Scott Laughton. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars handed to Blackwood (38 for 39 in saves), Duclair, and Eklund. 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 28

We've got four games on this Monday, beginning with...

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jonas Johansson and Ilya Samsonov are set to start in goal. Toronto began in the first period with a Matthew Knies goal, his third of the season, coming off of Mitchell Marner and Auston Matthews. Tampa Bay tied it on a Victor Hedman goal, his third of the year, guided in by Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. The Lightning took the lead with a Kucherov goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Brandon Hagel and Mikhail Sergachev. Tampa Bay added on with a Kucherov power play goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, powered by Hedman and Steven Stamkos. The Lightning padded the lead on a Point power play goal, his sixth of the season, with assists provided by Kucherov and Hedman. Joseph Woll replaced Samsonov in goal. The Maple Leafs got one back in the second period with a Matthews goal, his twelfth of the year, fueled by T.J. Brodie and Marner. Toronto got closer with a Matthews goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, coming off of Knies and Marner. The Maple Leafs tied it in the third period with a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his second of the year, helped along by Nicholas Robertson and Max Domi. Toronto pulled ahead with a Marner goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Knies and Morgan Rielly. Tampa Bay retied it on a Hagel goal, his seventh of the year, via Calvin de Haan and Erik Cernak. The Maple Leafs won 6-5 in overtime with a Jarnkrok goal, his third of the campaign, with helpers from Rielly and William Nylander. The three stars were Marner, Matthews, and Kucherov, while Jarnkrok, Knies, Rielly, Hedman, Point, and Hagel get the honorable mentions. 

Down in Florida, the Panthers welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Sergei Bobrovsky man the nets. Florida led off in the first period with a Ryan Lomberg goal, via Steven Lorentz and Josh Mahura. The Panthers added on with a Gustav Forsling goal, his second of the season, coming off of Sam Reinhart and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Florida extended the lead as Aleksander Barkov scored his third of the year, thanks to Reinhart and Niko Mikkola. Spencer Martin replaced Merzlikins in goal. Columbus got on the board with a Sean Kuraly goal, his third of the season, helped along by Erik Gudbranson and Justin Danforth. The Blue Jackets got closer with a Boone Jenner goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Jack Roslovic and Gudbranson. Columbus tied it in the second period with a Kirill Marchenko power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Ivan Provorov and Alexandre Texier. The Blue Jackets pulled ahead in the third period with a Texier goal, with helpers from Andrew Peeke and Cole Sillinger. The Panthers retied it on a Nick Cousins goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. Florida won 5-4 in overtime with a Carter Verhaeghe goal, his fourth of the campaign, fueled by Anton Lundell and Matthew Tkachuk. The three stars went to Texier, Reinhart, and Gudbranson. 

Over in Dallas, the Stars bring in the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Jake Oettinger tend the twines. Boston started in the first period with a John Beecher goal, via Hampus Lindholm. The Bruins added on with a Mason Lohrei goal, courtesy of Danton Heinen and Ian Mitchell. Dallas got on the board in the third period with a Wyatt Johnston goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen. Boston shot back with a Brad Marchand power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by James van Riemsdyk and David Pastrnak. The Stars got one back with a Joe Pavelski goal, his fifth of the campaign, fueled by Jason Robertson and Heiskanen. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Heiskanen, Marchand, and Swayman (35 for 37 in saves). 

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Thatcher Demko are the masked men. Edmonton opened in the first period with a Mattias Ekholm power play goal, powered by Sam Gagner and Evander Kane. Vancouver tied it on a Quinn Hughes goal, his fifth of the season, via Andrei Kuzmenko and Filip Hronek. The Canucks took the lead with a Pius Suter goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Dakota Joshua and Ian Cole. Vancouver added on with a Brock Boeser power play goal, his ninth of the season, with assists provided by J.T. Miller and Hughes. The Oilers got one back in the second period with a Leon Draisaitl goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Warren Foegele. The Canucks replied with a Nils Hoglander goal, his third of the season, helped along by Sam Lafferty. Vancouver extended the lead as Miller scored his seventh of the year on the power play, thanks to Hughes and Hronek. The Canucks padded the lead on a Boeser power play goal, his second of the game and tenth of the campaign, with helpers from Elias Pettersson and Hughes. The three stars were given to Hughes, Boeser, and Miller, while Hronek gets an honorable mention. 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 27

Just two games are on this Sunday, beginning with...

The Chicago Blackhawks hosting the New Jersey Devils. Vitek Vanecek and Arvid Soderblom man the nets. Chicago opened in the first period with a Taylor Hall goal, his second of the season, coming off of Tyler Johnson and Wyatt Kaiser. New Jersey tied it on a Dawson Mercer power play goal, powered by Erik Haula and Dougie Hamilton. The Devils took the lead on a Max Willman goal, going in unassisted. New Jersey added on in the third period with a Curtis Lazar goal, his second of the year, helped along by John Marino. The Blackhawks got one back with a Ryan Donato goal, his third of the season, passed from Andreas Athanasiou and Jason Dickinson. The Devils finished it at 4-2 with a Michael McLeod empty net goal, his third of the year, an unassisted goal. The three stars belonged to Vanecek (32 for 34 in saves), Lazar, and Willman.

Out west, the Anaheim Ducks host the Vegas Golden Knights. Logan Thompson and John Gibson are the masked men. Vegas started in the first period with an Ivan Barbashev goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Jack Eichel. The Golden Knights added on in the second period with an Eichel goal, his sixth of the year, via Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb. Anaheim got on the board in the third period with an Adam Henrique power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Cam Fowler and Frank Vatrano. The Ducks tied it on a Sam Carrick goal, his second of the year, guided in by Pavel Mintyukov. Anaheim pulled ahead with a Mason McTavish goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Vatrano and Ilya Lyubushkin. The Ducks iced it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Carrick, his second of the game and third of the year, set up by Troy Terry and Fowler. The three stars were Carrick, Vatrano, and Eichel, while Fowler gets an honorable mention. 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 26

The NHL loads them up again with 15 games this Saturday. First up...

The Edmonton Oilers host the Nashville Predators. Kevin Lankinen and Jack Campbell are in goal. Edmonton started in the first period with a Darnell Nurse power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Mattias Ekholm and Ryan McLeod. Nashville tied it on a Filip Forsberg goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Ryan O'Reilly and Marc Del Gaizo. The Predators pulled ahead in the second period with an O'Reilly goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Forsberg and Alexandre Carrier. Nashville added on with an O'Reilly power play goal, his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Forsberg and Thomas Novak. The Oilers got one back on a Zach Hyman power play goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid. The Predators fired back with a Novak goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Luke Evangelista and Roman Josi. Nashville extended the lead in the third period as O'Reilly completed his hat trick on his seventh of the campaign, thanks to Carrier and Forsberg. This stood for a 5-2 win, with the three stars going to O'Reilly, Forsberg, and Novak, while Carrier gets an honorable mention. 

Down in Arizona, the Coyotes welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Karel Vejmelka are the masked men. Arizona opened in the first period with a J.J. Moser goal, his second of the season, via Matias Maccelli and Lawson Crouse. The Coyotes added on with a Liam O'Brien goal in the second period, his second of the year, courtesy of Jack McBain. Winnipeg got on the board with a Nino Niederreiter goal, his third of the season, passed from Mason Appleton and Josh Morrissey. The Jets tied it on a Brenden Dillon goal, fueled by Vladislav Namestnikov and Cole Perfetti. Arizona retook the lead with a Crouse power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Nick Bjugstad. Winnipeg tied it again with a Niederreiter power play goal, his fourth of the season, with assists provided by Nikolaj Ehlers and Neal Pionk. The Jets pulled ahead in the third period with a Dillon goal, his second of the game, made possible by Appleton and Adam Lowry. Winnipeg extended the lead as Niederreiter completed his hat trick with his fifth of the year, with the help of Lowry and Dillon. The final stood at 5-3, with the three stars going to Niederreiter, Dillon, and Appleton, while Lowry and Crouse get the honorable mentions.

At the regular time, the Detroit Red Wings bring in the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Ville Husso protect the nets. Boston led off in the first period with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. The Bruins added on with a Matthew Poitras goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Kevin Shattenkirk and van Riemsdyk. Detroit got on the board with a Lucas Raymond power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by David Perron and Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings tied it on a Jake Walman power play goal, his third of the year, with assists provided by Moritz Seider and Daniel Sprong. Boston retook the lead on a Charlie Coyle goal, his second of the season, passed from Jake DeBrusk and Parker Wotherspoon. Detroit tied it in the third period with a Larkin goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Raymond and Alex DeBrincat. The Red Wings pulled ahead with a Perron goal, his third of the season, coming off of J.T. Compher and Jeff Petry. Detroit extended the lead as Andrew Copp scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Compher and Perron. The Bruins got one back with a Pastrnak goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Poitras and Hampus Lindholm. They couldn't tie it, with the final being 5-4. The three stars were Larkin, Perron, and Pastrnak, while Compher, Poitras, Raymond, and van Riemsdyk get the honorable mentions.

Into Ontario, as the Ottawa Senators host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jonas Johansson and Joonas Korpisalo are in the blue paint. Ottawa kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Brady Tkachuk goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Mathieu Joseph and Jake Sanderson. Tampa Bay tied it on a Victor Hedman goal, his second of the year, via Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. The Lightning took the lead in the second period with a Point goal, his third of the season, assisted by Kucherov. Tampa Bay added on with a Mikey Eyssimont goal, his third of the year, guided in by Anthony Cirelli. Anton Forsberg replaced Korpisalo in goal. The Lightning extended the lead as Point scored his second of the game and fourth of the season, thanks to Kucherov. The Senators got one back in the third period with a Claude Giroux goal, his third of the year, made possible by Tim Stutzle and Jacob Bernard-Docker. Tampa Bay replied with a Point goal, completing his hat trick on his fifth of the season, with helpers from Steven Stamkos and Kucherov on the power play. Ottawa pulled one back with a Tkachuk power play goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, powered by Josh Norris. The Lightning shot back with a Kucherov goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Alex Barre-Boulet. The Senators countered with a Drake Batherson goal, his second of the year, with a lone helper from Tkachuk. This only made it 6-4, the final, with the three stars handed to Point, Kucherov, and Tkachuk.

Staying in the province, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Devon Levi and Joseph Woll are the young goalies. Toronto was first to score in the first period with a Mitchell Marner goal, his fourth of the season, via Calle Jarnkrok and Morgan Rielly. Buffalo tied it on a JJ Peterka power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Owen Power and Peyton Krebs. The Sabres took the lead with a Tage Thompson shorthanded goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. The Maple Leafs tied it again with an Auston Matthews power play goal, his ninth of the year, with assists provided by William Nylander and Marner. Buffalo retook the lead on a Jeff Skinner goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Ryan Johnson. Toronto tied it on a Matthews goal in the third period, his second of the game and tenth of the year, helped along by Marner. The Sabres reclaimed the lead on a Jordan Greenway goal, his second of the season, coming off of Casey Mittelstadt and Peterka. The Maple Leafs retied it with a Matthews goal, completing his hat trick on his eleventh of the year, with helpers from Mark Giordano and Marner. Buffalo pulled ahead again with an Alex Tuch goal, his second of the season, guided in by Rasmus Dahlin and Connor Clifton. The Sabres iced it at 6-4 with an empty net goal by Tuch, his second of the game and third of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Matthews, Tuch, and Marner, while Peterka gets an honorable mention.

Stateside, the St. Louis Blues bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Sam Montembeault and Joel Hofer are in the creases. St. Louis began in the first period with a Jordan Kyrou goal, his second of the season, coming off of Brayden Schenn. Montreal tied it on a Juraj Slafkovsky power play goal, powered by Alex Newhook and Brendan Gallagher. The Blues took the lead back with a Robert Thomas goal, his fourth of the year, via Justin Faulk. St. Louis added on with a Brandon Saad goal in the second period, his third of the season, assisted by Kyrou and Schenn. The Canadiens got one back with a Gallagher goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Sean Monahan. The Blues fired back in the third period on a shorthanded Alexey Toropchenko goal, set up by Pavel Buchnevich. St. Louis extended the lead as Schenn scored, thanks to Kyrou and Saad. The Blues padded the lead on a Kasperi Kapanen empty net goal, his second of the season, with a lone helper by Thomas. Montreal got one back with a Nick Suzuki goal, his third of the year, guided in by Cole Caufield and Michael Matheson. This only made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars being Kyrou, Schenn, and Thomas, while Saad and Gallagher get the honorable mentions.

Back east, the Washington Capitals host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Charlie Lindgren are set to start in goal. Washington struck first in the first period with a Tom Wilson goal, his third of the season, assisted by Nick Jensen and Rasmus Sandin. The Capitals added on with a Sonny Milano goal, his second of the year, via Jensen and Rasmus. Columbus got on the board with a Dmitri Voronkov goal in the second period, his second of the season, guided in by Kirill Marchenko and David Jiricek. This only made it 2-1, the eventual final, with the three stars going to Lindgren (35 for 36 in saves), Milano, and Wilson.

To New York, where the Islanders welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Antti Raanta is mismatched with Ilya Sorokin in goal. New York cracked the scoresheet in the first period with a Noah Dobson goal, his third of the season, assisted by Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. The Islanders added on with a Simon Holmstrom shorthanded goal, his third of the year, set up by Jean-Gabriel Pageau. New York extended the lead as Barzal scored his second of the season, thanks to Horvat and Ryan Pulock. Carolina got on the board with a Jalen Chatfield goal, via Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal. The Hurricanes got closer in the third period with a Dmitry Orlov goal, helped along by Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Andrei Svechnikov. Carolina tied it with a Kotkaniemi goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Svechnikov. The Hurricanes won 4-3 in overtime with a Sebastian Aho goal, his second of the campaign, passed from Martin Necas. The three stars were Kotkaniemi, Svechnikov, and Horvat, while Barzal gets an honorable mention.

Onward to Philadelphia, as the Flyers bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Cam Talbot and Cal Petersen have the green light to play in goal. Los Angeles drew first blood in the first period with an Adrian Kempe goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Quinton Byfield and Mikey Anderson. The Kings added on with an Anze Kopitar goal, his sixth of the year, via Matt Roy and Byfield. Los Angeles extended the lead in the second period as Arthur Kaliyev scored his third of the season on the power play, with the help of Byfield and Trevor Moore. The Kings padded the lead on a Moore shorthanded goal, his sixth of the year, set up by Kaliyev. Los Angeles continued in the third period with a Blake Lizotte goal, his third of the season, made possible by Alex Laferriere. This stood for a 5-0 win, with the three stars going to Talbot (24 save shutout), Byfield, and Kaliyev, while Moore gets an honorable mention.

West to Chicago, where the Blackhawks host the Florida Panthers. Anthony Stolarz and Petr Mrazek patrol the creases. Chicago opened in the first period with a Nick Foligno power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Seth Jones and Corey Perry. The Blackhawks added on with a Nikita Zaitsev goal, via Philipp Kurashev and Lukas Reichel. Chicago extended the lead as Taylor Hall scored, thanks to Jason Dickinson and Tyler Johnson. The Blackhawks padded the lead in the second period with a Connor Bedard goal, his fifth of the year, with helpers from Kurashev and Jarred Tinordi. Florida got on the board in the third period with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson power play goal, his second of the season, with assists provided by Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers got closer with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Verhaeghe and Josh Mahura. The Blackhawks iced it at 5-2 with a Kurashev empty net goal, his second of the season, coming off of Ryan Donato. The three stars were Kurashev, Verhaeghe, and Hall.

Up in Minnesota, the Wild welcome the New York Rangers. Jonathan Quick and Filip Gustavsson are the goalies. New York started in the first period with a Jimmy Vesey goal, assisted by Tyler Pitlick and Ryan Lindgren. The Rangers added on with an Artemi Panarin goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere. New York extended the lead as Erik Gustafsson scored his third of the year, thanks to Blake Wheeler and Will Cuylle. Marc-Andre Fleury replaced Gustavsson in goal. Minnesota got on the board in the second period with a Ryan Hartman goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Dakota Mermis and Mats Zuccarello. The Wild got closer with a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Brock Faber and Marcus Foligno. Minnesota tied it in the third period with a Zuccarello goal, his third of the season, coming off of Jonas Brodin and Marcus Johansson. The Wild gained the lead on a Marco Rossi goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. The Rangers tied it on a Chris Kreider goal, his eighth of the season, via Panarin and Gustafsson. The tie went to a shootout, where Zuccarello and Boldy lifted the Wild to a 5-4 win over Panarin and the Rangers. The three stars belonged to Zuccarello, Panarin, and Gustafsson.

Out in California, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Mackenzie Blackwood are between the pipes. Pittsburgh led off in the first period with a Reilly Smith power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Erik Karlsson and Jake Guentzel. The Penguins added on with a Smith goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, assisted by Marcus Pettersson and Bryan Rust. Pittsburgh extended the lead in the second period as Guentzel scored his third of the season, thanks to Rust and Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The Penguins padded the lead with a Vinnie Hinostroza goal, going in unassisted. San Jose got on the board with an Anthony Duclair power play goal, his second of the year, with assists provided by Tomas Hertl and Jacob MacDonald. Pittsburgh countered with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Smith and Rickard Rakell. The Penguins kept going with a Kris Letang goal, coming off of Sidney Crosby and Rust. Pittsburgh continued with a Matt Nieto goal, with helpers from Noel Acciari and Hinostroza. The Penguins struck again in the third period with a Rust goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Guentzel and Karlsson. The Sharks took one back with a MacDonald power play goal, dished from Hertl and Mikael Granlund. Pittsburgh fired back with a Malkin power play goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, fueled by Smith and Rakell. The Penguins reached double digits on a Guentzel goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, made possible by Rust and Ryan Shea. The final stood at 10-2, with the three stars going to Rust, Guentzel, and Smith, while Malkin, Hinostroza, Rakell, Karlsson, MacDonald, and Hertl get the honorable mentions.

North to Seattle, as the Kraken host the Calgary Flames. Dan Vladar and Philipp Grubauer are set to play in goal. Seattle began in the first period with an Oliver Bjorkstrand power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Justin Schultz and Yanni Gourde. Calgary tied it on a Martin Pospisil goal, via Nazem Kadri and Dillon Dube. The Kraken retook the lead with an Eeli Tolvanen goal, his second of the year, coming off of Gourde and Devin Shore. The Flames tied it in the second period on a Noah Hanifin goal, guide in by Jonathan Huberdeau and Connor Zary on the power play. Calgary took the lead with a Yegor Sharangovich goal, his second of the season, helped along by Nikita Zadorov and Nick DeSimone. The Flames added on with a Mikael Backlund goal, with helpers from Walker Duehr and A.J. Greer. Seattle got one back with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Matty Beniers and Vince Dunn. Calgary answered with a Backlund empty net goal, his second of the game, going in unassisted. The Flames finished it at 6-3 with an empty net goal by Rasmus Andersson, his second of the campaign, an unassisted goal. The three stars went to Backlund, Gourde, and Sharangovich.

Further north, the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Thatcher Demko tend the twines. Vancouver got going in the second period with a Pius Suter goal, his second of the season, assisted by Dakota Joshua and Carson Soucy. The Canucks added on with an Elias Pettersson goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Filip Hronek and Ilya Mikheyev. The final remained at 2-0, with the three stars awarded to Demko (27 save shutout), Suter, and Pettersson.

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev and Adin Hill guard the cages. Vegas struck first in the first period with a Mark Stone shorthanded goal, his third of the season, set up by Brayden McNabb and Chandler Stephenson. The Golden Knights added on in the second period with a Jack Eichel goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Jonathan Marchessault and Alex Pietrangelo. Vegas extended the lead as William Carrier scored his third of the season, thanks to Stone and Stephenson. The Golden Knights padded the lead on an Eichel power play goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, powered by Stone and Shea Theodore. Vegas continued in the third period with another Stone shorthanded goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, going in unassisted. The Golden Knights got another one with a William Karlsson goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Pavel Dorofeyev. Vegas piled on with another Karlsson goal, his second of the game and sixth of the season, guided in by Dorofeyev and Michael Amadio. This made it 7-0, the final, with the three stars going to Stone, Eichel, and Karlsson, while Hill (41 save shutout), Stephenson, and Dorofeyev get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 25

Two games are on this Friday slate. We begin with...

The Buffalo Sabres welcoming the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are the inexperienced goalies. Philadelphia started in the first period with a Scott Laughton goal, via Bobby Brink and Joel Farabee. The Flyers added on with a Louie Belpedio unassisted goal. Philadelphia extended the lead as Travis Konecny scored his ninth goal of the season, going in unassisted. The Flyers padded the lead in the second period on a Garnet Hathaway goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Ryan Poehling and Nicolas Deslauriers. Buffalo got on the board with a Henri Jokiharju goal in the third period, with helpers from Casey Mittelstadt and JJ Peterka. Philadelphia shot back with a Brink goal, his third of the campaign, set up by Farabee. This made it 5-1, with the three stars going to Brink, Farabee, and Ersson (21 for 22 in saves).

Over in St. Louis, the Blues bring in the New Jersey Devils. Akira Schmid and Jordan Binnington start in goal. St. Louis got going in the second period with a Jake Neighbours goal, his second of the season, assisted by Sammy Blais and Oskar Sundqvist. The Blues added on with a Kevin Hayes goal, via Nick Leddy and Jakub Vrana. New Jersey got on the board with a Curtis Lazar goal, made possible by Alexander Holtz and John Marino. St. Louis shot back on a Hayes empty net goal, his second of the game, set up by Colton Parayko and the goalie Binnington. The Blues iced it at 4-1 with a Robert Thomas empty net goal, his third of the year, fueled by Justin Faulk and Hayes. The three stars were given to Hayes, Binnington (33 for 34 in saves), and Neighbours. 

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