There's eleven games on today, beginning with...
The New York Islanders hosting the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Semyon Varlamov are the goalies. New York got going in the second period with a Ryan Pulock goal, his second of the season, via Adam Pelech and Cal Clutterbuck. Dallas tied it on a Denis Gurianov goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Jacob Peterson and Ryan Suter. The Islanders retook the lead in the third period with a Brock Nelson power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, powered by Noah Dobson and Mathew Barzal. New York added on with another Nelson goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the year, guided in by Anthony Beauvillier and Anders Lee. The Stars got one back with a Peterson goal, his tenth of the season, helped along by Tyler Seguin and Gurianov. The Islanders iced it at 4-2 with a Nelson empty net goal, completing his hat trick on his twenty-seventh of the year. The three stars went to Nelson, Peterson, and Gurianov.
West to Minnesota, as the Wild welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Cam Talbot are set to start in goal. Minnesota led off in the first period with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Kevin Fiala and Jon Merrill. Chicago tied it in the third period with a Seth Jones goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome. The Wild retook the lead on a Ryan Hartman goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, via Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov. Minnesota iced it at 3-1 with a Jordan Greenway empty net goal, his seventh of the year, set up by Merrill. The three stars were Hartman, Merrill, and Talbot (21 for 22 in saves).
Further along in Edmonton, the Oilers bring in the New Jersey Devils. Jon Gillies and Mikko Koskinen man the nets. Edmonton began in the first period with a Leon Draisaitl goal, his forty-first of the season, assisted by Jesse Puljujarvi and Cody Ceci. New Jersey tied it on a Jesper Bratt goal, his twentieth of the year, fueled by Nico Hischier and Dougie Hamilton. The Oilers reclaimed the lead in the second period with an Evander Kane goal, his eleventh of the season, guided in by Darnell Nurse and Connor McDavid. The Devils retied it in the third period with a Bratt goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the year, coming off of Ryan Graves and Andreas Johnsson. New Jersey pulled ahead on a Hischier goal, his seventeenth of the season, passed from Bratt. Edmonton retied it on a Tyson Barrie goal, his fifth of the year, with helpers from Kris Russell and Devin Shore. The Oilers pulled ahead with a Kane power play goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the season, powered by McDavid and Barrie. Edmonton added on with a Zach Hyman goal, his twenty-first of the year, helped along by Draisaitl and Puljujarvi. The Oilers finished it at 6-3 with a McDavid empty net goal, his thirty-fifth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were McDavid, Kane, and Draisaitl, while Barrie, Bratt, Puljujarvi, and Hischier get the honorable mentions.
Down in Nevada, the Vegas Golden Knights host the Los Angeles Kings. Cal Petersen and Logan Thompson are the younger goalies. Vegas started in the first period with an Evgenii Dadonov goal, his fifteenth of the season, via Ben Hutton. The Golden Knights added on with a Chandler Stephenson power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault in the second period. Los Angeles got on the board with a Phillip Danault goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Trevor Moore and Jordan Spence. Vegas replied with Mattias Janmark shorthanded goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Nicolas Roy and Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights extended the lead as Pietrangelo scored his tenth of the season into an empty net in the third period, going in unassisted. Vegas finished it at 5-1 with a Michael Amadio goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Keegan Kolesar. The three stars were Pietrangelo, Thompson (38 for 39 in saves), and Stephenson.
Further south, the Arizona Coyotes welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Scott Wedgewood receive the starts in goal. Pittsburgh dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Kasperi Kapanen goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Jeff Carter. Arizona tied it on a Clayton Keller goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, guided in by Anton Stralman. The Penguins took the lead back with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his eleventh of the season, via Bryan Rust in the third period. Pittsburgh added on with a Sidney Crosby goal, his twenty-first of the year, helped along by Jake Guentzel. The Penguins iced it at 4-1 with a Crosby empty net goal, his twenty-second of the season, set up by Evan Rodrigues and Brian Dumoulin. The three stars went to Crosby, Malkin, and Jarry (20 for 21 in saves).
Back east, the Columbus Blue Jackets bring in the St. Louis Blues. Ville Husso and Elvis Merzlikins make the starts in goal. Columbus opened in the first period with an Emil Bemstrom goal, his third of the season, via Eric Robinson and Vladislav Gavrikov. St. Louis tied it on a David Perron power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Brayden Schenn and Torey Krug. The Blue Jackets retook the lead with a Gustav Nyquist power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, with assists provided by Patrik Laine and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Columbus added on in the second period with a Laine goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, fueled by Nyquist and Jack Roslovic. The Blues got one back with an Alexei Toropchenko goal, helped along by Justin Faulk and Perron. The Blue Jackets replied in the third period with a Sean Kuraly goal, his eleventh of the season, assisted by Robinson and Bemstrom. St. Louis answered on a Perron power play goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, with helpers from Schenn and Krug. Columbus fired back with a Jakub Voracek goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Bjorkstrand and Jake Bean. The Blues pulled back on a Perron goal, completing his hat trick on his twenty-first of the year, made possible by Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou. This only made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars given to Perron, Laine, and Nyquist, while Bemstrom, Bjorkstrand, Robinson, Schenn, and Krug get the honorable mentions.
South to Nashville, as the Predators host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Erik Kallgren and Juuse Saros patrol the creases. Nashville struck first in the first period with a Tanner Jeannot goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Colton Sissons and Yakov Trenin. The Predators added on in the second period with an Eeli Tolvanen goal, his ninth of the year, via Jeremy Davies and Mikael Granlund. Toronto got on the board with a Mitchell Marner goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, coming off of Michael Bunting and Auston Matthews. Nashville shot back with a Mattias Ekholm goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Alexandre Carrier and Tolvanen. The Maple Leafs got one back with a Matthews goal, his forty-sixth of the season, helped along by Marner in the third period. The Predators countered on a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his thirty-third of the year, powered by Matt Duchene and Roman Josi. Nashville extended the lead as Duchene scored his thirty-second of the season, thanks to Forsberg and Josi. Toronto pulled one back on a Marner goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the year, with helpers from William Nylander and Morgan Rielly. The Predators ended it at 6-3 with a Trenin empty net goal, his fifteenth of the campaign, set up by Sissons and Josi. The three stars were handed to Marner, Josi, and Forsberg, while Duchene, Matthews, Trenin, Tolvanen, and Sissons get the honorable mentions.
Up north in Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the Ottawa Senators. Filip Gustavsson and Jake Allen are in goal. Montreal kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Jake Evans goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Artturi Lehkonen. Ottawa tied it on a Josh Norris power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Colin White and Tim Stutzle. The Canadiens retook the lead in the second period with a Paul Byron goal, his second of the season, via Michael Pezzetta and Evans. Montreal added on with a Cole Caufield goal, his thirteenth of the year, guided in by Joel Edmundson. The Canadiens extended the lead on a Joel Armia power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Corey Schueneman and Rem Pitlick. Montreal padded the lead in the third period as Brett Kulak scored his third of the year, with the help of Nick Suzuki and Josh Anderson. The three stars of the 5-1 game were Evans, Allen (29 for 30 in saves), and Byron.
Back stateside, the Tampa Bay Lightning bring in the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy tend the twines. Tampa Bay drew first blood in the first period with a Brayden Point power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Alex Killorn and Victor Hedman. New York tied it on a Jacob Trouba goal, his tenth of the year, via Dryden Hunt and Alexis Lafreniere. The Rangers won 2-1 with a Mika Zibanejad power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the campaign, with helpers from Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox. The three stars were Shesterkin (28 for 29 in saves), Zibanejad, and Trouba.
Across the continent, the Vancouver Canucks host the Calgary Flames. Dan Vladar and Thatcher Demko protect the nets. Calgary was first to score in the first period with a Noah Hanifin goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Calle Jarnkrok. The Flames added on with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, coming off of Mikael Backlund. Calgary extended the lead as Rasmus Andersson scored his third of the season, thanks to Tkachuk and Dillon Dube. The Flames padded the lead in the second period on an Elias Lindholm goal, his thirty-first of the year, via Tyler Toffoli. Calgary kept going on a Johnny Gaudreau power play goal in the third period, his twenty-eighth of the season, powered by Tkachuk and Andersson. Vancouver got on the board with a Matthew Highmore goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Juho Lammikko and Brad Hunt. The Canucks got one back with a Brock Boeser power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, with assists provided by Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. This held for a 5-2 win, with the three stars handed to Tkachuk, Andersson, and Lindholm.
Finally, the Seattle Kraken host the Detroit Red Wings. Alex Nedeljkovic and Philipp Grubauer guard the cages. Detroit cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Joe Veleno goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings added on with a Taro Hirose power play goal, powered by Tyler Bertuzzi and Lucas Raymond. Seattle got on the board in the third period with an Adam Larsson goal, his fifth of the year, via Vince Dunn and Jared McCann. The Kraken tied it on a Jaden Schwartz goal, his eighth of the season, guided in by Dunn and Alex Wennberg. Seattle took the lead with a Yanni Gourde goal, his fifteenth of the year, made possible by Hadyn Fleury. The Kraken iced it at 4-2 with a Gourde empty net goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the campaign, set up by Mason Appleton and Colin Blackwell. The three stars were Gourde, Schwartz, and Larsson.
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