NHL 2023-24 - Day 36

We've got nine games on this Tuesday, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Devon Levi man the nets. Boston started in the first period with a Danton Heinen goal, via Charlie McAvoy and Matthew Poitras. The Bruins added on with a David Pastrnak goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Pavel Zacha and McAvoy. Boston extended the lead as Brandon Carlo scored, thanks to Pastrnak and Zacha. The Bruins padded the lead in the second period on an Oskar Steen goal, coming off of Jakub Lauko. Boston continued on a Hampus Lindholm power play goal, powered by Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. Buffalo got on the board with a Victor Olofsson goal, made possible by Owen Power and Dylan Cozens. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen replaced Levi in goal. The Sabres got closer in the third period with another Olofsson goal, guided in by JJ Peterka and Casey Mittelstadt. This only made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Pastrnak, Olofsson, and McAvoy, while Zacha gets an honorable mention.

In Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Sam Montembeault are in the creases. Calgary got going in the second period with a Nazem Kadri goal, his third of the season, coming off of Connor Nikita Zadorov. Montreal tied it on a Gustav Lindstrom goal, helped along by Christian Dvorak and Juraj Slafkovsky. The Flames took the lead with a Zary goal, his third of the year, assisted by Rasmus Andersson and Martin Pospisil. This held for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Zary, Markstrom (33 for 34 in saves), and Kadri.

Stateside, the Washington Capitals bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren are in the blue paint. Washington began in the first period with a Dylan Strome goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Sonny Milano. The Capitals added on in the third period with a Connor McMichael empty net goal, his fourth of the year, set up by John Carlson and Rasmus Sandin. Washington extended the lead as Beck Malenstyn scored, his second of the campaign, going in unassisted. This stood for a 3-0 win, with the three stars handed to Lindgren (35 save shutout), Strome, and Malenstyn.

Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Elvis Merzlikins are the masked men. Pittsburgh opened in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his eighth of the season, via Marcus Pettersson and Kris Letang. Columbus tied it on a Kirill Marchenko goal, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. The Blue Jackets took the lead with a Yegor Chinakhov goal, courtesy of Erik Gudbranson and Zach Werenski. The Penguins retied it in the second period with a Jake Guentzel goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by Vinnie Hinostroza and Crosby. Pittsburgh pulled ahead in the third period with an Erik Karlsson goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell. Columbus tied it again on an Alexandre Texier goal, his third of the season, with helpers from Sean Kuraly and Justin Danforth. The Penguins pulled ahead on a Crosby goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, passed from Karlsson and Guentzel. Pittsburgh iced it at 5-3 with a Crosby empty net goal to complete his hat trick on his tenth of the season, set up by Bryan Rust. The three stars were Crosby, Karlsson, and Guentzel.

Down in Dallas, the Stars welcome the Arizona Coyotes. Karel Vejmelka and Jake Oettinger protect the nets. Arizona led off in the first period with a Clayton Keller goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Barrett Hayton. Dallas tied it with an Esa Lindell goal, assisted by Nils Lundkvist and Joe Pavelski. The Stars took the lead in the second period with a Roope Hintz power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson. The Coyotes tied it on a Jason Zucker power play goal, his third of the season, with assists provided by Matias Maccelli and J.J. Moser. Arizona pulled ahead with a Lawson Crouse goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Sean Durzi. Dallas retied it on a Tyler Seguin goal, his third of the season, made possible by Matt Duchene and Ryan Suter. The Stars won 4-3 in overtime on a Duchene goal, his sixth of the year, with a lone assist by Seguin. The three stars went to Duchene, Seguin, and Hintz.

Backtracking to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Juuse Saros guard the cages. Nashville dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Filip Forsberg goal, his seventh of the season, via Alexandre Carrier and Ryan O'Reilly. The Predators added on with a Roman Josi power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Gustav Nyquist and O'Reilly. Anaheim got on the board with a Cam Fowler goal, his second of the season, guided in by Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish. The Ducks tied it on a Radko Gudas goal, his second of the year, assisted by Troy Terry and Urho Vaakanainen. Anaheim pulled ahead with an Adam Henrique goal, his third of the campaign, courtesy of Vaakanainen and Gudas. This held for a 3-2 win, with the three stars given to Vaakanainen, Gudas, and O'Reilly.

To St. Louis, as the Blues host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jonas Johansson and Jordan Binnington are set to start in goal. St. Louis struck first in the first period with a Colton Parayko goal, his second of the season, made possible by Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich. The Blues added on with a Jordan Kyrou goal, his third of the year, fueled by Torey Krug and Justin Faulk. St. Louis extended the lead as Jakub Vrana scored his second of the season, thanks to Krug and Kevin Hayes. The Blues padded the lead with an empty net goal by Kasperi Kapanen, his third of the year, set up by Buchnevich. St. Louis continued with a Kyrou goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, guided in by Brayden Schenn. The final was 5-0, with the three stars awarded to Binnington (30 save shutout), Kyrou, and Krug, while Buchnevich gets an honorable mention.

North to Winnipeg, where the Jets welcome the New Jersey Devils. Akira Schmid is mismatched with Connor Hellebuyck in goal. Winnipeg cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Kyle Connor goal, his twelfth of the season, via Josh Morrissey and Alex Iafallo. The Jets added on with a Cole Perfetti power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Connor and Morrissey. New Jersey got on the board with a Timo Meier power play goal, his fifth of the season, with assists provided by Ondrej Palat and Jesper Bratt. The Devils tied it on a John Marino goal, helped along by Curtis Lazar and Luke Hughes. Winnipeg took the lead back with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his third of the year, coming off of Perfetti and Dylan Samberg. The Jets extended the lead as Connor scored his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, with the help of Mark Scheifele and Morrissey on the power play. Winnipeg padded the lead on a Morgan Barron goal, his third of the year, with assists by Vladislav Namestnikov and Neal Pionk. New Jersey got one back with a Dawson Mercer power play goal, his third of the season, with helpers from Dougie Hamilton and Erik Haula. The Jets finished it at 6-3 with an empty net goal by Ehlers, his second of the game and fourth of the year, set up by Mason Appleton and Morrissey. The three stars were Connor, Morrissey, and Ehlers, while Perfetti gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Florida Panthers. Anthony Stolarz and Mackenzie Blackwood receive the starts in goal. Florida drew first blood in the first period with a Ryan Lomberg goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. San Jose tied it on a Mike Hoffman goal, via Givani Smith and Jan Rutta. The Panthers took the lead back in the second period with a Sam Reinhart power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Matthew Tkachuk. The Sharks retied it in the third period with a Tomas Hertl power play goal, his third of the season, with assists provided by Fabian Zetterlund and Mikael Granlund. San Jose took the lead with a Luke Kunin goal, his third of the year, fueled by Danil Gushchin and Granlund. Florida retied it on a Carter Verhaeghe power play goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers pulled ahead with a Kevin Stenlund goal, his fourth of the year, with helpers from Uvis Balinskis and Steven Lorentz. Florida added on with a Barkov empty net goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Verhaeghe and Reinhart. This made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars going to Reinhart, Verhaeghe, and Tkachuk, while Barkov and Granlund get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 35

We've got two games this Monday, beginning with...

The Edmonton Oilers welcoming the New York Islanders. Ilya Sorokin and Stuart Skinner are between the pipes. New York began in the first period with a Mathew Barzal goal, his third of the season, coming off of Bo Horvat and Ryan Pulock. Edmonton tied it on a Leon Draisaitl goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Darnell Nurse. The Oilers took the lead in the third period with a Zach Hyman power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Connor McDavid and Draisaitl. Edmonton added on with a McDavid power play goal, his third of the year, with a lone assist by Draisaitl. The Oilers iced it at 4-1 with an Evander Kane empty net goal, his fourth of the campaign, set up by Draisaitl. The three stars were Draisaitl, McDavid, and Skinner (32 for 33 in saves). 

The other game is the Seattle Kraken bringing in the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev and Joey Daccord man the nets. Seattle led off in the first period with a Brandon Tanev goal, via Vince Dunn and Alexander Wennberg. Colorado tied it in the second period with a Mikko Rantanen goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Nathan MacKinnon and Devon Toews. The Avalanche took the lead with a Ross Colton power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Tomas Tatar and Toews. Colorado added on in the third period with a Cale Makar goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Tatar and Caleb Jones. The Avalanche extended the lead as Jonathan Drouin scored, thanks to MacKinnon and Rantanen. Colorado padded the lead on a Valeri Nichushkin power play goal, his third of the year, with assists provided by Makar and MacKinnon. This stood for a 5-1 win, with the three stars going to Rantanen, Makar, and MacKinnon, while Toews and Tatar get the honorable mentions. 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 34

There's five games on this Sunday, beginning with...

The Florida Panthers hosting the Chicago Blackhawks. Arvid Soderblom and Sergei Bobrovsky are in the creases. Florida began in the first period with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal, his fourth of the season, via Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues. Chicago tied it on a Jason Dickinson goal, his second of the year, coming off of Lukas Reichel and Connor Murphy. The Panthers took the lead with a Reinhart power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Matthew Tkachuk and Ekman-Larsson. The Blackhawks retied it on a Connor Bedard goal, his eighth of the year, going in unassisted. Florida regained the lead in the second period on another Reinhart goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the season, with helpers from Gustav Forsling and Rodrigues. Chicago tied it again with a Bedard goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year, fueled by Seth Jones. The Panthers pulled ahead again in the third period with a Carter Verhaeghe power play goal, his sixth of the campaign, with assists provided by Reinhart and Tkachuk. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Reinhart, Bedard, and Ekman-Larsson, while Tkachuk and Rodrigues get the honorable mentions. 

Up in Minnesota, the Wild welcome the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Marc-Andre Fleury guard the cages. Dallas led off in the first period with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson. The Stars added on with a shorthanded and unassisted Radek Faksa goal. Minnesota got on the board with a Brandon Duhaime goal, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. Dallas shot back with a Matt Duchene goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin. The Wild got one back with a Vinni Lettieri goal, his second of the year, made possible by Marco Rossi and Jonas Brodin. The Stars fired back in the second period with a Wyatt Johnston power play goal, his sixth of the season, with assists provided by Duchene and Seguin. Dallas extended the lead as Dadonov scored his fourth of the year on the power play, thanks to Johnston and Nils Lundkvist. Minnesota pulled one back with a Mats Zuccarello power play goal, his fourth of the season, with helpers from Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. The Stars responded in the third period with a Robertson power play goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Heiskanen and Jamie Benn. Dallas padded the lead on another Robertson power play goal, his second of the game and fifth of the season, guided in by Heiskanen and Roope Hintz. The Stars finished it at 8-3 with a Johnston shorthanded goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, set up by Benn. The three stars were given to Johnston, Robertson, and Heiskanen, while Duchene, Seguin, and Benn get the honorable mentions.

Over in Montreal, the Canadiens bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Casey DeSmith and Jake Allen protect the nets. Vancouver got going in the second period with a Conor Garland goal, his second of the season, passed from J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes. The Canucks added on with an Ilya Mikheyev goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Andrei Kuzmenko. Vancouver extended the lead as Dakota Joshua scored his second of the season, thanks to Garland and Filip Hronek. Montreal got on the board in the third period with a Michael Matheson power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Sean Monahan and Josh Anderson. The Canucks shot back with a Brock Boeser empty net goal, his twelfth of the season, set up by Joshua and Tyler Myers. The Canadiens fired back with an Arber Xhekaj goal, with helpers from Jordan Harris and the goalie Allen. Vancouver iced it at 5-2 with a Phillip Di Giuseppe empty net goal, his third of the year, made possible by Miller and Boeser. The three stars were Boeser, Garland, and Joshua, while Miller gets an honorable mention.

To New York, as the Rangers host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Jonathan Quick start in goal. Columbus started in the first period with a Justin Danforth goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Erik Gudbranson and Zach Werenski. New York tied it on a Chris Kreider goal, his tenth of the year, fueled by Erik Gustafsson and Blake Wheeler. The Rangers took the lead in the second period with an Alexis Lafreniere goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin. The Blue Jackets tied it again with an Adam Fantilli goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Dmitri Voronkov. Columbus pulled ahead on a Sean Kuraly goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Alexandre Texier and Gudbranson. New York tied it in the third period with another Lafreniere goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, with helpers from Kreider and Panarin. The Rangers won 4-3 in the shootout with a lone tally from Lafreniere. The three stars were Lafreniere, Kreider, and Panarin, while Gudbranson gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the San Jose Sharks. Mackenzie Blackwood and John Gibson are between the pipes. Anaheim opened in the first period with a Frank Vatrano goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Ilya Lyubushkin and Ryan Strome. San Jose tied it on a Luke Kunin goal, his second of the year, guided in by Tomas Hertl and William Eklund. The Ducks retook the lead with a Vatrano power play goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the season, powered by Cam Fowler and Jakob Silfverberg. Anaheim added on in the third period with a Mason McTavish power play goal, his seventh of the year, with assists provided by Leo Carlsson and Pavel Mintyukov. The Ducks extended the lead as Radko Gudas scored his second of the season, thanks to Strome and Vatrano. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Vatrano, Strome, and Gibson (25 for 26 in saves). 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 33

It's a 12-game Saturday this time, beginning with two matinees. First...

The Detroit Red Wings host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Spencer Martin and Ville Husso draw the starts in goal. Detroit began in the first period with a Lucas Raymond goal, his fifth of the season, via J.T. Compher. The Red Wings added on with a Robby Fabbri goal, his second of the year, assisted by Christian Fischer and Jeff Petry. Columbus got on the board with an Alexandre Texier goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Damon Severson. The Blue Jackets tied it on an Adam Fantilli goal, his third of the year, guided in by Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov. Columbus took the lead with a Sean Kuraly goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Zach Werenski and Erik Gudbranson. Detroit tied it on an Alex DeBrincat goal, his tenth of the year, fueled by Petry. The Red Wings took the lead with a Daniel Sprong goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Klim Kostin. Detroit extended the lead in the third period as Fabbri scored his second of the game and third of the year, thanks to Jake Walman. The Blue Jackets got one back with a Patrik Laine goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. This only made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars being Fabbri, Petry, and Sprong. 

Onward to Winnipeg, as the Jets welcome the Dallas Stars. Scott Wedgewood is mismatched with Connor Hellebuyck in goal. Dallas got going in the second period with a Thomas Harley goal, his third of the season, coming off of Ryan Suter. The Stars added on with a shorthanded Wyatt Johnston goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. Winnipeg got on the board with a Cole Perfetti goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Nikolaj Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov. Dallas shot back with a Matt Duchene power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Johnston and Evgenii Dadonov. The Jets got one back in the third period with a Brenden Dillon goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Johnston, Duchene, and Harley. 

East to Montreal, as the Canadiens bring in the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Sam Montembeault are the goalies. Boston led off in the first period with a Pavel Zacha goal, his fifth of the season, via Charlie McAvoy and Brad Marchand. Montreal tied it in the third period with a Nick Suzuki power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Michael Matheson and Cole Caufield. The Canadiens took the lead with a Brendan Gallagher goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Kaiden Guhle and Jake Evans. The Bruins got one back with a Marchand power play goal, his seventh of the year, with assists provided by David Pastrnak and McAvoy. Montreal won 3-2 in overtime with a Guhle goal, going in unassisted. The three stars were Guhle, Marchand, and McAvoy. 

Into Ontario, as the Ottawa Senators host the Calgary Flames. Dustin Wolf and Joonas Korpisalo are set to start in goal. Ottawa opened in the first period with a Mathieu Joseph goal, his fourth of the season, via Jake Sanderson and Tim Stutzle. The Senators added on with a Drake Batherson power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Brady Tkachuk and Jakob Chychrun. Calgary got on the board with a Blake Coleman goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Martin Pospisil. Ottawa shot back with a Rourke Chartier goal in the third period, guided in by Dominik Kubalik and Batherson. The Senators extended the lead as Travis Hamonic scored, with the help of Stutzle and Claude Giroux. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars given to Batherson, Stutzle, and Korpisalo (24 for 25 in saves). 

Along to Toronto, as the Maple Leafs welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Ilya Samsonov man the creases. Vancouver started in the first period with a J.T. Miller power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson. Toronto tied it on a Matthew Knies goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi. The Canucks took the lead back with a Pius Suter power play goal, his fourth of the season, with assists provided by Anthony Beauvillier and Filip Hronek. The Maple Leafs tied it again in the second period with a William Nylander goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by John Tavares and Bertuzzi. Toronto pulled ahead with a Noah Gregor goal, his second of the season, fueled by Morgan Rielly and Bobby McMann. The Maple Leafs added on in the third period with a Nicholas Robertson goal, his second of the year, made possible by Domi. Toronto extended the lead as David Kampf scored, thanks to Gregor and McMann. The final stood at 5-2, with the three stars going to Gregor, McMann, and Domi, while Bertuzzi gets an honorable mention. 

South to Tampa Bay, as the Lightning bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Pyotr Kochetkov and Jonas Johansson are in the blue paint. Carolina struck first in the first period with a Teuvo Teravainen power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas. The Hurricanes added on with an Aho goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Andrei Svechnikov and Jaccob Slavin in the second period. Carolina extended the lead in the third period as Brent Burns scored his third of the season, thanks to Brady Skjei. The Hurricanes padded the lead on a Stefan Noesen goal, his third of the year, passed from Michael Bunting and Burns. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars awarded to Kochetkov (22 save shutout), Aho, and Burns. 

Back north, the New York Islanders host the Washington Capitals. Hunter Shepard and Semyon Varlamov patrol the creases. Washington kicked off the scoring in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his third of the season, via Evgeny Kuznetsov. New York tied it on an Alexander Romanov goal, coming off of Bo Horvat. The Capitals retook the lead in the second period with a Nic Dowd goal, fueled by Nicolas Aube-Kubel and John Carlson. Washington added on with an Aliaksei Protas goal, made possible by Matthew Phillips and Connor McMichael. The Capitals iced it at 4-1 in the third period with an Ovechkin empty net goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, set up by Beck Malenstyn and Rasmus Sandin. The three stars belonged to Ovechkin, Shepard (36 for 37 in saves), and Dowd. 

Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Tristan Jarry are the masked men. Pittsburgh was first to score in the first period with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his eighth of the season, guided in by Ryan Graves and Radim Zohorna. The Penguins added on in the second period with a Drew O'Connor goal, fueled by Lars Eller and Graves. Pittsburgh extended the lead in the third period on an Erik Karlsson power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Reilly Smith and Malkin. The Penguins padded the lead on a Karlsson empty net goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, set up by Jake Guentzel and Sidney Crosby. The final was 4-0, and the three stars were Jarry (35 save shutout), Karlsson, and Malkin, while Graves gets an honorable mention. 

Next up, the Nashville Predators bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Connor Ingram and Juuse Saros start in goal. Nashville led off in the first period with a Kiefer Sherwood goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Luke Evangelista and Thomas Novak. The Predators added on with a Filip Forsberg goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Gustav Nyquist and Jeremy Lauzon. Arizona got on the board with a Michael Carcone goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Logan Cooley. The Coyotes tied it on a Troy Stecher goal, with a lone helper from J.J. Moser. Nashville retook the lead on a Dante Fabbro goal, his second of the year, made possible by Roman Josi and Forsberg. The Predators extended the lead in the second period on a Ryan O'Reilly power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Novak and Josi. Arizona got one back with a Clayton Keller power play goal, his sixth of the year, with assists provided by Cooley and Sean Durzi. The Coyotes tied it on an Alexander Kerfoot goal, guided in by Travis Boyd and Matt Dumba. Arizona pulled ahead as Carcone scored his second of the game and sixth of the season, with the help of Moser and the goalie Ingram. Nashville retied it in the third period with a Forsberg goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, fueled by Nyquist and Fabbro. The Coyotes retook the lead with a Durzi power play goal, his fifth of the season, with helpers from Keller and Cooley. Arizona iced it at 7-5 with a Nick Bjugstad empty net goal, his third of the year, set up by Keller and Barrett Hayton. The three stars were Keller, Forsberg, and Cooley, while Durzi, Carcone, Moser, Fabbro, Josi, Nyquist, and Novak get the honorable mentions. 

Out west, the Colorado Avalanche host the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Alexandar Georgiev tend the twines. St. Louis began in the first period with a Brayden Schenn goal, his third of the season, coming off of Torey Krug and Justin Faulk. The Blues added on with another Schenn goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, courtesy of Brandon Saad. St. Louis extended the lead as Krug scored, thanks to Robert Thomas and Faulk. The Blues padded the lead in the second period on a Pavel Buchnevich shorthanded goal, his second of the season, set up by Oskar Sundqvist and Colton Parayko. Colorado got on the board with a Mikko Rantanen goal, his ninth of the year, via Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. St. Louis replied in the third period with a Buchnevich power play goal, his second of the season and third of the season, powered by Thomas and Schenn. The Blues continued with a Schenn power play goal, completing his hat trick on his fifth of the year, with helpers from Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. St. Louis piled on with Buchnevich completing his hat trick on his fourth of the season, a shorthanded goal helped along by Thomas. The Blues kept going with an Alexey Toropchenko goal, his second of the year, passed from Sundqvist. The Avalanche got one back with a Jack Johnson goal, with helpers from Jonathan Drouin. The final was 8-2, and the three stars were Schenn, Buchnevich, and Thomas, while Krug, Faulk, and Sundqvist get the honorable mentions.

Northwest to Seattle, as the Kraken welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Philipp Grubauer protect the nets. Edmonton started in the first period with a Zach Hyman goal, his fifth of the season, via Evander Kane. The Oilers added on with a Hyman power play goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, powered by Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Edmonton extended the lead as Hyman completed his hat trick with his seventh of the season, an unassisted goal. The Oilers padded the lead on a Dylan Holloway goal, coming off of Ryan McLeod and Cody Ceci. Joey Daccord replaced Grubauer in goal for the second period. Seattle got on the board with a Jaden Schwartz power play goal in the third period, his eighth of the year, with assists provided by Eeli Tolvanen and Vince Dunn. This only made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars going to Hyman, Skinner (17 for 18 in saves), and Holloway.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Cal Petersen and Cam Talbot occupy the creases. Philadelphia opened in the first period with an Owen Tippett goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Sean Walker. The Flyers added on with a Morgan Frost goal, assisted by Tippett and Walker. Philadelphia extended the lead as Frost scored his second of the game, thanks to Nick Seeler and Travis Konecny. Los Angeles got on the board with a Carl Grundstrom goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Trevor Lewis and Andreas Englund. The Flyers shot back in the third period with a Cam Atkinson goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Sean Couturier. The Kings got one back with an Adrian Kempe goal, his seventh of the year, with helpers from Quinton Byfield and Vladislav Gavrikov. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars given to Frost, Tippett, and Walker. 

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NHL 2023-24 - Day 32

There's six games on for this Friday night, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Minnesota Wild. Filip Gustavsson and Devon Levi are the young goalies. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Henri Jokiharju goal, his second of the season, via Owen Power. Minnesota tied it on a Kirill Kaprizov power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello. The Sabres retook the lead in the second period with a Jeff Skinner goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by JJ Peterka. Buffalo added on in the third period with a Peterka goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Tage Thompson and Skinner. The Wild got one back with a Joel Eriksson Ek power play goal, his eighth of the campaign, passed from Kaprizov and Zuccarello. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Peterka, Skinner, and Kaprizov, while Zuccarello gets an honorable mention. 

To New Jersey, as the Devils welcome the Washington Capitals. Charlie Lindgren and Vitek Vanecek receive the starting nods in goal. Washington began in the first period with a Nicolas Aube-Kubel goal, via Rasmus Sandin and Sonny Milano. The Capitals added on with a Beck Malenstyn goal, assisted by Aube-Kubel and Martin Fehervary. Akira Schmid replaced Vanecek in goal. Washington extended the lead in the second period as Evgeny Kuznetsov scored his second of the season, thanks to Tom Wilson and Alex Ovechkin. New Jersey got on the board in the third period with a Timo Meier goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Michael McLeod and John Marino. The Devils got closer with a Dawson Mercer goal, his second of the season, coming off of Tyler Toffoli and the goalie Schmid. The Capitals shot back with a Kuznetsov empty net goal, his second of the game and third of the year, set up by Lucas Johansen and Wilson. The three stars of the 4-2 game went to Kuznetsov, Aube-Kubel, and Wilson. 

Down in Florida, the Panthers bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Antti Raanta and Sergei Bobrovsky draw the starts in goal. Carolina started in the first period with a Jesperi Kotkaniemi goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Jesper Fast and Jordan Martinook. Florida tied it on a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his third of the year, via Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell. The Panthers took the lead with an Uvis Balinskis goal, assisted by Tkachuk and Eetu Luostarinen. Florida added on in the second period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Evan Rodrigues and Sam Reinhart. The Hurricanes got one back on a Sebastian Aho goal, his third of the year, helped along by Martinook and Brady Skjei. The Panthers fired back with a Verhaeghe goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Gustav Forsling. Florida iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Kevin Stenlund, his third of the year, set up by Reinhart and Barkov. The three stars went to Verhaeghe, Tkachuk, and Barkov, while Reinhart and Martinook get the honorable mentions. 

Back north, the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Calgary Flames. Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll are the backups in goal. Toronto opened in the first period with an unassisted power play goal by William Nylander, his eighth of the season. Calgary tied it on a Connor Zary goal, his second of the year, coming off of Nazem Kadri. The Maple Leafs took the lead back with a Calle Jarnkrok goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Max Domi and Nicholas Robertson. Toronto added on in the second period with a shorthanded and unassisted Nylander goal, his second of the game and ninth of the year. The Maple Leafs extended the lead as John Tavares scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Nylander and Morgan Rielly. The Flames got one back with a Nikita Zadorov goal, fueled by Andrew Mangiapane and Jonathan Huberdeau. Calgary pulled closer with an A.J. Greer goal, his second of the season, passed from MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson. The Flames tied it on a Martin Pospisil goal, his second of the year, made possible by Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman. The tie went to a shootout, where Mitchell Marner and Domi scored to give the Maple Leafs a 5-4 win over Yegor Sharangovich and the Flames. The three stars belonged to Nylander, Domi, and Tavares. 

Out west, the Vegas Golden Knights welcome the San Jose Sharks. Kaapo Kahkonen and Adin Hill are the masked men. Vegas kicked off the scoring in the first period with an Alex Pietrangelo goal, via Michael Amadio and Mark Stone. The Golden Knights added on with an Alec Martinez goal, his second of the season, assisted by Amadio and William Carrier. Vegas extended the lead in the third period with a William Karlsson shorthanded goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Jack Eichel and Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights padded the lead on a Martinez goal, his second of the game and third of the season, coming off of Pietrangelo and Karlsson. Vegas continued with a Brett Howden goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Jonas Rondbjerg. The final held at 5-0, with the three stars going to Martinez, Hill (20 save shutout), and Pietrangelo, while Karlsson and Amadio get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson and Lukas Dostal are the inexperienced goalies. Philadelphia struck first in the first period with a Sean Couturier goal, his third of the season, assisted by Cam Atkinson and Egor Zamula. The Flyers added on with an Atkinson goal, his seventh of the year, via Travis Sanheim and Tyson Foerster. Philadelphia extended the lead in the second period as Louie Belpedio scored his second of the season, thanks to Joel Farabee. Anaheim got on the board with a Leo Carlsson power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Alex Killorn and Mason McTavish. The Flyers shot back in the third period with a Sanheim goal, his second of the season, coming off of Farabee and Cam York. The Ducks got one back with a Carlsson goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, set up by Killorn and Pavel Mintyukov. Philadelphia replied with an Owen Tippett goal, his third of the season, made possible by Morgan Frost. Anaheim pulled one back as Carlsson completed his hat trick with his sixth of the year, a power play goal with assists provided by Troy Terry and Ryan Strome. The Flyers iced it at 6-3 with an empty net goal by Tippett, his second of the game and fourth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Carlsson, Tippett, and Sanheim, while Atkinson, Farabee, and Killorn get the honorable mentions. 

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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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