There's 13 games on today, including five matinees. First up...
The Buffalo Sabres host the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are the goalies. Edmonton began in the first period with a Ryan McLeod goal, his eleventh of the season, courtesy of Leon Draisaitl and Warren Foegele. The Oilers added on with a shorthanded Foegele goal, his fourteenth of the year, set up by McLeod. Buffalo got on the board with an unassisted Tage Thompson power play goal, his nineteenth of the season. The Sabres tied it in the third period with a Jacob Bryson goal, going in unassisted. The tie went to a shootout, where Thompson and Alex Tuch lifted the Sabres to a 3-2 win over Draisaitl and the Oilers. The three stars were Thompson, Foegele, and McLeod.
Down in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Pyotr Kochetkov and Nico Daws patrol the creases. Carolina led off in the first period with a Martin Necas power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Teuvo Teravainen and Stefan Noesen. New Jersey tied it in the second period with a Nico Hischier goal, his twenty-first of the year, guided in by Jack Hughes. The Hurricanes took the lead in the third period with a Jesperi Kotkaniemi goal, his eleventh of the season, via Jesper Fast and Brett Pesce. Carolina added on with an Andrei Svechnikov empty net goal, his fifteenth of the year, set up by Teravainen and Brady Skjei. The Devils got one back with a Timo Meier goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Hischier and John Marino. The Hurricanes iced it at 4-2 with a Teravainen empty net goal, his twentieth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Teravainen, Svechnikov, and Hischier.
Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets bring in the Nashville Predators. Kevin Lankinen and Daniil Tarasov are the backups in goal. Nashville started in the first period with a Kiefer Sherwood goal, his eighth of the season, going in unassisted. Columbus tied it in the second period with an Alexandre Texier goal, his tenth of the year, via Ivan Provorov. The Predators took the lead in the third period with a Luke Evangelista goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Mark Jankowski and Tommy Novak. This held for a 2-1 win, with the three stars given to Lankinen (32 for 33 in saves), Evangelista, and Sherwood.
Along to Boston, as the Bruins host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Alex Nedeljkovic is mismatched with Linus Ullmark in goal. Boston got going in the second period with a David Pastrnak goal, his fortieth of the season, via Jake DeBrusk and Pavel Zacha. The Bruins added on with a Zacha power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Morgan Geekie and Mason Lohrei. Boston extended the lead as Brad Marchand scored his twenty-seventh of the season, thanks to Charlie Coyle and Hampus Lindholm. Pittsburgh got on the board in the third period with a Kris Letang goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Sidney Crosby. The Bruins replied with a DeBrusk goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Marchand and Lindholm. Boston iced it at 5-1 with a Zacha goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, coming off of Pastrnak and Danton Heinen. The three stars went to Zacha, Pastrnak, and Marchand, while DeBrusk and Lindholm get the honorable mentions.
South to Florida, as the Panthers welcome the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Anthony Stolarz are the masked men. Florida dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Vladimir Tarasenko goal, his eighteenth of the season, going in unassisted. Calgary got on the board with a Yegor Sharangovich power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Nazem Kadri and Andrei Kuzmenko. The Panthers retook the lead on an Aleksander Barkov goal, his sixteenth of the season, fueled by Sam Reinhart and Tarasenko. Florida added on with a Sam Bennett goal, his fifteenth of the year, guided in by Gustav Forsling and Matthew Tkachuk. The Panthers extended the lead as Tarasenko scored his second of the game and nineteenth of the season, thanks to Forsling and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Florida padded the lead in the third period on a Kevin Stenlund shorthanded goal, his tenth of the year, set up by Eetu Luostarinen. The final stood at 5-1, with the three stars going to Tarasenko, Forsling, and Stolarz (34 for 35 in saves).
At the regular time, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ilya Samsonov and Sam Montembeault man the nets. Montreal struck first in the first period with a Mike Matheson goal, his ninth of the season, fueled by Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky. Toronto tied it in the second period with a Bobby McMann goal, his tenth of the year, coming off of David Kampf. The Maple Leafs took the lead with a Max Domi goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Calle Jarnkrok and TJ Brodie. The Canadiens tied it again in the third period with an Alex Newhook power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Slafkovsky and Matheson. Toronto took the lead back with a John Tavares goal, his twentieth of the season, courtesy of Jake McCabe and Domi. The final held from here at 3-2, with the three stars going to Domi, Matheson and Slafkovsky.
Out west, the San Jose Sharks host the Ottawa Senators. Joonas Korpisalo and Magnus Chrona receive the starts in goal. San Jose was first to score in the first period with a Thomas Bordeleau power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Fabian Zetterlund and Mikael Granlund. Ottawa tied it on a Tim Stutzle power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, with assists provided by Jake Sanderson and Brady Tkachuk in the second period. The Sharks retook the lead with another Bordeleau power play goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, helped along by Granlund and William Eklund. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Bordeleau, Chrona (31 for 32 in saves), and Granlund.
Back east, the Tampa Bay Lightning welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Samuel Ersson and Andrei Vasilevskiy protect the nets. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with a Victor Hedman goal, his eleventh of the season, via Nikita Kucherov and Darren Raddysh. The Lightning added on with a Nick Paul power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Anthony Duclair and Raddysh. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Conor Sheary scored his third of the season, thanks to Raddysh. The Lightning padded the lead on a Brayden Point power play goal, his thirty-third of the year, with assists provided by Steven Stamkos and Hedman. Felix Sandstrom replaced Ersson in goal. Tampa Bay continued in the second period with a Duclair goal, his seventeenth of the season, made possible by Stamkos. The Lightning struck again in the third period with a Hedman goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, courtesy of Point and Raddysh. Tampa Bay kept going with a Brandon Hagel power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, with helpers from Raddysh and Mikey Eyssimont. The final held at 7-0, with the three stars given to Raddysh, Vasilevskiy (25 save shutout), and Hedman, while Duclair, Point, and Stamkos get the honorable mentions.
North to DC, as the Washington Capitals bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek and Charlie Lindgren are between the pipes. Washington kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Hendrix Lapierre goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by John Carlson and Aliaksei Protas. The Capitals added on with a Michael Sgarbossa goal, his third of the year, guided in by Trevor van Riemsdyk and Carlson. Washington extended the lead as Tom Wilson scored his fifteenth of the season on the power play, powered by Dylan Strome and Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals padded the lead on a Sonny Milano goal, his tenth of the year, courtesy of Protas. Chicago got on the board in the third period with a Tyler Johnson goal, his thirteenth of the season, passed from Jarred Tinordi and Zach Sanford. This only made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars going to Protas, Carlson, and Lindgren (30 for 31 in saves).
Next up, the New York Rangers host the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Igor Shesterkin guard the cages. New York drew first blood in the first period with a power play goal by Vincent Trocheck, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox. The Rangers added on with a Jimmy Vesey goal, his thirteenth of the year, coming off of Barclay Goodrow. New York extended the lead in the third period as Chris Kreider scored his thirty-second of the season on the power play, with the help of Panarin and Fox. The Rangers padded the lead on a Kaapo Kakko power play goal, his eighth of the year, with assists provided by Erik Gustafsson and Alex Wennberg. The final held at 4-0, with the three stars awarded to Shesterkin (26 save shutout), Panarin, and Fox.
Westward to Vancouver, where the Canucks welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Thatcher Demko tend the twines. Vancouver led off in the first period with a J.T. Miller goal, his thirty-second of the season, assisted by Nils Hoglander and Quinn Hughes. The Canucks added on with a Hoglander goal, his twentieth of the year, passed from Pius Suter and Elias Pettersson. Vancouver extended the lead as Phillip Di Giuseppe scored his fifth of the season, thanks to Teddy Blueger and the goalie Demko. The Canucks padded the lead in the second period on a Pettersson power play goal, his thirty-first of the year, powered by Conor Garland and Hughes. Casey DeSmith replaced Demko in goal in the second period. Vancouver continued in the third period with a Suter goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars of the 5-0 game were Hoglander, Pettersson, and Suter, while Hughes gets an honorable mention.
Stateside, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Detroit Red Wings. James Reimer and Adin Hill draw the starts in goal. Vegas began in the first period with a Pavel Dorofeyev goal, his eighth of the season, via Shea Theodore and Chandler Stephenson. The Golden Knights added on with a Jonathan Marchessault goal, his thirty-third of the year, courtesy of Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin. Detroit got on the board with a Michael Rasmussen goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Moritz Seider and David Perron. The Red Wings tied it on a J.T. Comper power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Seider and Andrew Copp in the third period. Vegas took the lead with a Brayden McNabb goal, his third of the season, coming off of Brendan Brisson and Jack Eichel. Detroit retied it on a Shayne Gostisbehere goal, his tenth of the year, guided in by Rasmussen and Perron. The Golden Knights took the lead back with a Marchessault goal, his second of the game and thirty-fourth of the season, passed from Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. Vegas iced it at 5-3 with a Marchessault empty net goal, completing his hat trick on his thirty-fifth of the year, set up by Barbashev and Hanifin. The three stars belonged to Marchessault, Eichel, and Rasmussen, while Barbashev, Hanifin, Perron, and Seider get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Los Angeles kings host the Dallas Stars. Scott Wedgewood and Cam Talbot will play in goal. Los Angeles struck first in the first period with a Kevin Fiala goal, his twenty-first of the season, courtesy of Drew Doughty. Dallas tied it in the second period with a Radek Faksa goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Craig Smith. The Stars took the lead with a Jason Robertson goal, his twenty-second of the season, assisted by Joe Pavelski and Esa Lindell. Dallas added on in the third period with a Wyatt Johnston power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, powered by Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment. The Stars iced it at 4-1 with a Pavelski empty net goal, his twenty-third of the campaign, set up by Robertson. The three stars went to Wedgewood (26 for 27 in saves), Robertson, and Pavelski.
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