Ten games on throughout the day today, beginning with a pair of matinees. The first is in...
Dallas, where the Stars host the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve Mason and Antti Niemi are in goal. Philadelphia began with a Taylor Leier goal in the first period, passed from Nick Cousins. Dallas tied it in the second period on a Radek Faksa goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Antoine Roussel and Brett Ritchie. The Stars took the lead in the third period with an Adam Cracknell goal, his fourth of the year, via John Klingberg and Tyler Seguin. Dallas iced it at 3-1 with a Jordie Benn empty net goal, his second of the campaign, set up by Jamie Benn and Faksa. The three stars were Faksa, Niemi (31 for 32 in saves), and Cracknell.
Up in Minnesota, the Wild welcome the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Darcy Kuemper man the nets. Minnesota opened in the first period on a Ryan Suter power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Eric Staal and Zach Parise. The Wild added on with a Tyler Graovac goal in the second period, his third of the year, going in unassisted. Minnesota extended the lead in the third period as Chris Stewart scored his fifth of the season, thanks to Jared Spurgeon. Arizona got on the board with a Brendan Perlini goal, his second of the year, via Christian Dvorak and Connor Murphy. The Wild capped their win at 4-1 with a Staal empty net goal, his tenth of the campaign, set up by Charlie Coyle and Mikko Koivu. The three stars went to Staal, Kuemper (27 for 28 in saves), and Graovac.
At the regular time, the Detroit Red Wings bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Jonathan Bernier and Petr Mrazek are called on to start in goal. Anaheim led off in the first period with a Rickard Rakell power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm. The Ducks added on with a Shea Theodore power play goal, coming off of Ryan Kesler and Ryan Getzlaf. Detroit got on the board with a Tomas Tatar goal, his fifth of the year, via Mike Green and Anthony Mantha. Anaheim shot back in the second period on a Cam Fowler goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Andrew Cogliano and Kesler. The Red Wings answered with a Tatar goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, helped along by Xavier Ouellet and Jonathan Ericsson. Detroit tied it with a Dylan Larkin goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Luke Glendening and Riley Sheahan. The Red Wings gained the lead with an Ouellet goal, fueled by Thomas Vanek and Gustav Nyquist. Detroit extended the lead in the third period against replacement goalie John Gibson as Tatar finished his hat trick on his seventh of the year, thanks to Henrik Zetterberg and Mantha. The Ducks shot back with another Rakell goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, going in unassisted. The Red Wings iced it at 6-4 with a Frans Nielsen goal, his seventh of the year, made possible by Ryan Sproul and Vanek. The three stars were Tatar, Ouellet, and Rakell, while Vanek, Kesler, and Mantha receive the honorable mentions.
Southeast to Raleigh, where the Carolina Hurricanes host the Buffalo Sabres. Anders Nilsson and Cam Ward are set to start in goal. Carolina started in the first period with a Joakim Nordstrom goal, his third of the season, passed from Jay McClement and Brett Pesce. Buffalo tied it in the third period on an Evander Kane goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Jake McCabe and Marcus Foligno. The tie went to a shootout, where Lee Stempniak and Sebastian Aho tallied to give the Hurricanes a 2-1 win. The three stars went to Nordstrom, Ward (23 for 24 in saves), and Nilsson (21 for 22 in saves).
Up in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the New Jersey Devils. Keith Kinkaid and Mike Condon are the backups in goal. Ottawa struck first in the first period with a Bobby Ryan goal, his fifth of the season, via Chris Kelly and Ryan Dzingel. New Jersey tied it with a John Moore goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Michael Cammalleri and Travis Zajac. The Senators took the lead back in the second period on a Derick Brassard goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Zack Smith and Mark Stone. Ottawa added on in the third period with a Smith empty net goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Kelly. The three stars went to Smith, Kelly, and Condon (29 for 30 in saves).
Staying in Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Frederik Andersen make the starts in goal. Fleury had an injury scare when a skate caught him in the face, but he was able to return, with Matt Murray spelling him. Pittsburgh was first to score in the first period with an Evgeni Malkin power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, powered by Justin Schultz and Sidney Crosby. Toronto tied it on a Nikita Zaitsev goal, passed from Mitchell Marner and James van Riemsdyk. The Maple Leafs won 2-1 in overtime with a Jake Gardiner goal, his sixth of the year, via Marner. The three stars went to Marner, Andersen (33 for 34 in saves), and Fleury (41 for 43 in saves).
Down in DC, the Washington Capitals host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Braden Holtby tend the twines. Montreal led off in the first period with an unassisted Artturi Lehkonen goal, his sixth of the season. Washington tied it on a Nicklas Backstrom power play goal in the second period, his ninth of the year, powered by Justin Williams and Alex Ovechkin. The Canadiens retook the lead with a Jeff Petry goal, his sixth of the campaign, helped along by Max Pacioretty and Phillip Danault. This held up for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Price (20 for 21 in saves), Petry, and Lehkonen.
To the Midwest, where the St. Louis Blues welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Scott Darling and Jake Allen are in the blue paint. St. Louis began in the first period with a Patrik Berglund goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Joel Edmundson. Chicago tied it on a Dennis Rasmussen goal, his third of the year, via Richard Panik and Marcus Kruger. The Blues took the lead back in the second period with a Kyle Brodziak goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Ryan Reaves and Edmundson. The Blackhawks retied it on a Patrick Kane goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Trevor van Riemsdyk. St. Louis took the lead back on another Berglund goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, assisted by Alexander Steen and David Perron. Chicago tied it again as Brian Campbell scored his third of the year, thanks to Artemi Panarin and Kane. The Blues regained the lead with an Alex Pietrangelo goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Edmundson, who got a sock trick, and Jori Lehtera. The Blackhawks tied it once more in the third period with a Niklas Hjalmarsson goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Panarin and Kruger. Chicago took the lead on a Vinnie Hinostroza goal, his second of the season, fueled by Brent Seabrook and Marian Hossa. The Blackhawks finished it at 6-4 with an empty net goal by Panarin, his fourteenth of the year, set up by Duncan Keith. The three stars went to Panarin, Kane, and Berglund, while Edmundson and Kruger get the honorable mentions.
In Nashville, the Predators bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist faces a lesser foe in Juuse Saros in goal. New York started in the first period with a Rick Nash goal, his thirteenth of the season, via Kevin Hayes and Nick Holden. Nashville tied it on an unassisted Mike Fisher goal in the second period, his ninth of the year. The tie went to a shootout, where Jimmy Vesey and Mats Zuccarello tallied for a 2-1 Rangers win. The three stars went to Lundqvist (31 for 32 in saves), Saros (26 for 27 in saves), and Nash.
Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Cam Talbot guard the cages. Edmonton got going in the second period with a Milan Lucic power play goal, his ninth of the season, powered by Leon Draisaitl and Andrej Sekera. Tampa Bay tied it on a Jonathan Drouin power play goal, his seventh of the year, via Victor Hedman and Brayden Point. The Lightning took the lead with a Tyler Johnson goal in the third period, his ninth of the season, assisted by Cory Conacher and Nikita Nesterov. The Oilers retied it on a Draisaitl power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, coming off of Mark Letestu and Sekera. The tie went to a shootout, where Letestu and Connor McDavid topped Drouin for a 3-2 Oilers win. The three stars went to Draisaitl, Letestu, and Sekera, while Drouin gets the honorable mention.
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