There are six games on this Friday, beginning with...
The New York Rangers hosting the Anaheim Ducks. Lukas Dostal and Jonathan Quick are the backups in goal. Anaheim started in the first period with a Brett Leason goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Ilya Lyubushkin. New York tied it on a Chris Kreider goal, his fifteenth of the year, guided in by Mika Zibanejad. The Rangers took the lead in the second period with a Jimmy Vesey goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Adam Fox and Blake Wheeler. New York added on with a Kreider power play goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, powered by Artemi Panarin and Fox. The Rangers extended the lead in the third period as Zibanejad scored his ninth of the season on the power play, thanks to Panarin. New York finished it at 5-1 with an Adam Edstrom goal, fueled by Barclay Goodrow and Braden Schneider. The three stars were Kreider, Zibanejad, and Panarin, while Fox gets an honorable mentions.
Down in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Nashville Predators. Kevin Lankinen and Antti Raanta man the nets. Nashville opened in the first period with a Juuso Parssinen goal, his sixth of the season, via Tommy Novak. Carolina tied it on a Stefan Noesen power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Jack Drury and Martin Necas. The Hurricanes took the lead with a Tony DeAngelo power play goal, his second of the season, coming off of Michael Bunting. The Predators tied it in the second period with a Roman Josi goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Ryan O'Reilly and Gustav Nyquist. Carolina retook the lead with a Jaden Chatfield goal, his third of the season, assisted by Bunting and Jordan Martinook. The Hurricanes added on with a Sebastian Aho goal, his eleventh of the year, with helpers from Seth Jarvis and Noesen. Nashville pulled one back with an O'Reilly power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, with assists provided by Filip Forsberg and Josi. Carolina replied with an unassisted Necas goal, his ninth of the year. The Predators countered with a Tyson Barrie goal, guided in by Cole Smith and Philip Tomasino. Nashville tied it in the third period with a Jeremy Lauzon goal, his second of the season, made possible by Luke Evangelista and Parssinen. The Predators won 6-5 in overtime with a Forsberg goal, his sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Josi and O'Reilly. The three stars were O'Reilly, Forsberg, and Josi, while Parssinen, Necas, Noesen, and Bunting get the honorable mentions.
Back north, the New York Islanders bring in the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Ilya Sorokin tend the twines. New York got going in the second period with an Alexander Romanov goal, his second of the season, assisted by Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. The Islanders added on with a Simon Holmstrom goal, his ninth of the year, via Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Boston got on the board with a Morgan Geekie power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by James van Riemsdyk and Brad Marchand. The Bruins tied it on a David Pastrnak power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, with assists provided by Kevin Shattenkirk and Geekie. New York retook the lead in the third period with a Horvat power play goal, his eleventh of the season, courtesy of Brock Nelson and Mike Reilly. Boston tied it again on a van Riemsdyk power play goal, his sixth of the year, with helpers from Shattenkirk and Pastrnak. The Islanders pulled ahead with a Nelson power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, fueled by Horvat and Barzal. The Bruins pulled even with a Mason Lohrei goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. The tie went to a shootout, where Charlie Coyle and Pastrnak lifted the Bruins to a 5-4 win over Holmstrom and the Islanders. The three stars were Pastrnak, Horvat, and van Riemsdyk, while Geekie, Nelson, Barzal, and Shattenkirk get the honorable mentions.
Southwest to Dallas, as the Stars host the Ottawa Senators. Anton Forsberg is mismatched with Jake Oettinger in goal. Ottawa led off in the first period with a Travis Hamonic goal, his second of the season, coming off of Jakob Chychrun and Mathieu Joseph. The Senators added on with a Drake Batherson goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Chychrun and Tim Stutzle. Scott Wedgewood replaced an injured Oettinger. Dallas got on the board with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. Ottawa shot back with a Josh Norris goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Claude Giroux and Chychrun. The Stars fired back on an Esa Lindell goal, his third of the season, helped along by Matt Duchene. The Senators countered in the second period with another Batherson goal, his second of the game and tenth of the year, assisted by Brady Tkachuk and Stutzle. Dallas got one back with a shorthanded Thomas Harley goal, his seventh of the season, set up by Radek Faksa. The Stars tied it in the third period with a Miro Heiskanen goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Wyatt Johnston and Evgenii Dadonov. Dallas took the lead with a Duchene goal, his eighth of the campaign, made possible by Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin. This made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars going to Duchene, Batherson, and Chychrun, while Stutzle gets an honorable mention.
Westward to Arizona, as the Coyotes welcome the San Jose Sharks. Kaapo Kahkonen and Connor Ingram are set to start in goal. Arizona dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Matias Maccelli goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Nick Bjugstad and J.J. Moser. The final held at 1-0, with the three stars awarded to Ingram (21 save shutout), Maccelli, and Kahkonen (23 for 24 in saves).
Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Devon Levi and Logan Thompson patrol the creases. Buffalo cracked the scoresheet in the second period on a Dylan Cozens goal, his fifth of the season, via Casey Mittelstadt. Vegas tied it on an Ivan Barbashev power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Nicolas Roy. The Golden Knights took the lead in the third period with a Jack Eichel goal, his thirteenth of the season, coming off of Paul Cotter. The Sabres retied it on a Mittelstadt goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Cozens and Connor Clifton. Buffalo pulled ahead with a Zach Benson goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Alex Tuch and Mattias Samuelsson. The Sabres added on with a Tuch goal, his ninth of the year, made possible by Benson. Buffalo iced it at 5-2 with a Mittelstadt empty net goal, his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, set up by Cozens and Rasmus Dahlin. The three stars were Mittelstadt, Tuch, and Benson, while Cozens gets an honorable mention.
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