Wednesday, November 24, 2021

NHL 2021-22 - Day 44

One of the biggest days of the season is here with 14 games on. First up...

The Buffalo Sabres host the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Aaron Dell are set to start in goal. Buffalo started in the first period with a Kyle Okposo goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Rasmus Asplund. Boston tied it on a Patrice Bergeron goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. The Bruins took the lead with a Charlie Coyle goal, his sixth of the season, with a lone helper by Nick Foligno. Boston added on with a Pastrnak power play goal, his sixth of the year, powered by Charlie McAvoy and Bergeron. The Bruins extended the lead as Mike Reilly scored his second of the season, with the help of and Jakub Zboril. Dustin Tokarski replaced Dell in goal. Boston padded the lead in the third period with a Taylor Hall power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Craig Smith and Coyle. This made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars going to Pastrnak, Coyle, and Foligno.

Down in Florida, the Panthers welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Martin Jones is mismatched with Sergei Bobrovsky in goal. Philadelphia opened with a Joel Farabee goal, his fifth of the season, via Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov. Florida tied it in the third period with a Sam Bennett power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Anthony Duclair and Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers won 2-1 in overtime on an Ekblad goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Jonathan Huberdeau and Bennett. The three stars belonged to Ekblad, Bennett, and Bobrovsky (32 for 33 in saves).

Along to New Jersey, as the Devils bring in the Minnesota Wild. Cam Talbot and MacKenzie Blackwood are in the creases. Minnesota struck first in the first period with a Ryan Hartman goal, his tenth of the season, guided in by Dmitry Kulikov and Mats Zuccarello. The Wild added on with a Nico Sturm shorthanded goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Frederick Gaudreau and Jonas Brodin. New Jersey got on the board in the third period with a Pavel Zacha goal, his eighth of the season, via Nico Hischier and Tomas Tatar. The Devils tied it with a Yegor Sharangovich goal, his third of the year, passed from Hischier and Jesper Bratt. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Kevin Fiala's lone tally gave the Wild a 3-2 win. The three stars were Hischier, Sturm, and Talbot (40 for 42 in saves).

To Pittsburgh, as the Penguins host the Vancouver Canucks. Thatcher Demko and Tristan Jarry protect the nets. Pittsburgh got going in the second period with a Bryan Rust power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Kris Letang and Jake Guentzel. The Penguins added on with an Evan Rodrigues goal, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Zach Aston-Reese scored, thanks to Brock McGinn and Teddy Blueger. Vancouver got on the board with a Bo Horvat goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Luke Schenn. The Penguins iced it at 4-1 with a McGinn empty net goal, his fifth of the year, set up by Blueger and Marcus Pettersson. The three stars were McGinn, Jarry (36 for 37 in saves), and Blueger.

In DC, the Washington Capitals welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Allen and Ilya Samsonov are the masked men. Washington led off in the first period with a Nic Dowd goal, his second of the season, via Dmitry Orlov and Nick Jensen. The Capitals added on with a John Carlson power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin. Washington extended the lead as Michael Sgarbossa scored an unassisted goal. Montreal got on the board with a Jake Evans goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Artturi Lehkonen. The Capitals answered in the second period with a Kuznetsov goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Carlson and Ovechkin. The Canadiens got one back with a Cole Caufield goal, made possible by Jonathan Drouin and Nick Suzuki. Washington replied in the third period with a Tom Wilson goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Ovechkin and Connor McMichael. The Capitals padded the lead on an Orlov goal, his third of the year, guided in by Dowd. Montreal got one back on a Lehkonen goal, his second of the campaign, with helpers from Brendan Gallagher and Evans. This only made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars going to Kuznetsov, Ovechkin, and Orlov, while Dowd, Carlson, Lehkonen, and Evans get the honorable mentions.

Over in Columbus, the Blue Jackets bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Elvis Merzlikins are called on to start. Columbus began in the first period with a Gregory Hofmann goal, his second of the season, made possible by Max Domi. The Blue Jackets added on in the third period with a Zach Werenski power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Jakub Voracek and Adam Boqvist. Columbus iced it at 3-0 with an Andrew Peeke empty net goal, set up Vladislav Gavrikov and Alexandre Texier. The three stars were awarded to Merzlikins (36 save shutout), Hofmann, and Werenski.

Up in Detroit, the Red Wings host the St. Louis Blues. Ville Husso and Alex Nedeljkovic patrol the creases. St. Louis drew first blood in the first period with a Pavel Buchnevich power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Jordan Kyrou and Brandon Saad. Detroit tied it on a Lucas Raymond goal, his eighth of the season, passed from Tyler Bertuzzi and Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings took the lead on a Larkin goal in the second period, his tenth of the year, via Filip Zadina and Robby Fabbri. The Blues tied it on a David Perron goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Scott Perunovich and Kyrou. Detroit retook the lead with an Adam Erne goal, his third of the year, coming off of Vladislav Namestnikov. The Red Wings iced it at 4-2 with a Fabbri empty net goal, his fourth of the campaign, set up by Filip Hronek. The three stars were Larkin, Fabbri, and Kyrou.

Back east, the New York Islanders welcome their crosstown rivals, the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Semyon Varlamov are the goalies. The Rangers dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Chris Kreider power play goal, his fourteenth of the season, powered by Ryan Strome and Adam Fox. The Rangers added on with a Kevin Rooney goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Barclay Goodrow and Ryan Reaves. The Islanders got on the board with an Andy Andreoff goal, helped along by Otto Koivula and Sebastian Aho. The Rangers replied with another Rooney goal, his second of the game and fifth of the season, assisted by Reaves. The Rangers extended the lead as Kreider scored his second of the game and fifteenth of the year, thanks to Mika Zibanejad and Kaapo Kakko. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars handed to Kreider, Rooney, and Reaves.

South to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the Vegas Golden Knights. Robin Lehner and Juuse Saros tend the twines. Vegas kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Chandler Stephenson goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Mark Stone. The Golden Knights added on in the second period with a Jonas Rondbjerg goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. Vegas extended the lead as Adam Brooks scored, thanks to Keegan Kolesar and Mattias Janmark. Nashville got on the board in the third period with a Filip Forsberg goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Matt Duchene. The Golden Knights answered with a shorthanded goal by Alex Pietrangelo, his fourth of the year, set up by Stephenson. The Predators shot back with a Forsberg power play goal, his second of the game and sixth of the season, powered by Roman Josi. Vegas iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Stone, helped along by Max Pacioretty. The three stars went to Stephenson, Forsberg, and Stone.

Out west, the Colorado Avalanche host the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Darcy Kuemper are between the pipes. Anaheim opened in the first period with a Sonny Milano power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Rickard Rakell and Jamie Drysdale. Colorado tied it on a Cale Makar goal, his eighth of the year, via Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog. Jonas Johansson entered the game multiple times as Kuemper battled equipment issues. The Avalanche pulled ahead in the second period on an Alex Newhook goal, his third of the season, assisted by Devon Toews and Tyson Jost. Colorado added on with a Nicolas Aube-Kubel goal, his second of the year, passed from Jayson Megna and Ryan Murray. The Avalanche extended the lead as Kadri scored on the power play, his seventh goal of the season, with the help of Mikko Rantanen and Landeskog. Colorado padded the lead on a Valeri Nichushkin goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Andre Burakovsky and Erik Johnson. The Ducks got one back with another Milano power play goal, his second of the game and fifth of the season, with helpers from Drysdale and Trevor Zegras. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Kadri, Milano, and Landeskog, while Drysdale gets an honorable mention.

Down in Arizona, the Coyotes welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Mikko Koskinen and Scott Wedgewood draw the starts in goal. Arizona started in the first period with a Clayton Keller goal, his fifth of the season, via Phil Kessel. Edmonton tied it on a power play goal by Connor McDavid, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Leon Draisaitl and Tyson Barrie. The Oilers took the lead in the second period on a Draisaitl goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Zack Kassian and Cody Ceci. Edmonton added on in the third period with a Kassian goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Draisaitl and McDavid. The Oilers extended the lead as Draisaitl scored his second of the game and twentieth of the season, thanks to McDavid and Barrie on the power play. The Coyotes got one back on a Travis Boyd goal, his fourth of the year, with helpers from Jakob Chychrun and Keller. Arizona got closer with a Shayne Gostisbehere goal, his third of the season, helped along by Keller and Anton Stralman. Edmonton iced it at 5-3 with a McDavid empty net goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, set up by Kassian. The three stars were awarded to McDavid, Draisaitl, and Kassian, while Keller and Barrie get the honorable mentions.

Into California, where the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack Campbell faces his former team and Jonathan Quick in goal. Toronto led off in the first period with an Alexander Kerfoot goal, his third of the season, coming off of Ondrej Kase and Wayne Simmonds. Los Angeles tied it in the second period with a Viktor Arvidsson power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Sean Durzi and Anze Kopitar. The Maple Leafs took the lead back with a Pierre Engvall goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Simmonds and Rasmus Sandin. Toronto added on with a John Tavares goal, his ninth of the year, via William Nylander and T.J. Brodie. The Maple Leafs extended the lead as Auston Matthews scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Tavares and Brodie. Toronto padded the lead on a Jason Spezza power play goal, his fourth of the year, with assists provided by Morgan Rielly and Envgall. The Maple Leafs continued in the third period with a Michael Bunting goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Sandin and Matthews. The Kings got one back on a Durzi power play goal, courtesy of Arvidsson and Adrian Kempe. This only made it 6-2, the final, with the three stars being Matthews, Tavares, and Sandin, while Durzi, Arvidsson, Engvall, Simmonds, and Brodie get the honorable mentions.

North to Seattle, as the Kraken welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen and Philipp Grubauer guard the cages. Carolina began in the first period with a Brendan Smith goal, his second of the season, assisted by Tony DeAngelo. Seattle tied it in the second period with a Jared McCann power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Vince Dunn and Yanni Gourde. The Kraken pulled ahead in the third period with a Marcus Johansson goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. The three stars were Grubauer (35 for 36 in saves), Johansson, and McCann.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Ottawa Senators. Matt Murray and James Reimer are the veterans in goal. San Jose struck first in the first period with a Matt Nieto goal, fueled by Kevin Labanc and Erik Karlsson. Ottawa tied it on a Josh Norris goal, his eighth of the season, via Brady Tkachuk and Lassi Thomson. The Sharks took the lead in the second period with a Tomas Hertl goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Timo Meier and Mario Ferraro. The Senators tied it with a Tkachuk goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Thomas Chabot and Artem Zub. Ottawa pulled ahead on a Connor Brown goal, his third of the year, coming off of Chabot and Tim Stutzle. San Jose tied it again with a Nick Bonino power play goal, powered by Meier and Logan Couture. The Sharks pulled ahead with a Meier goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Rudolfs Balcers and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. San Jose added on with a Couture empty net goal, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Sharks iced it at 6-3 with a Jacob Middleton empty net goal, set up by Andrew Cogliano and Erik Karlsson. The three stars were Meier, Tkachuk, and Couture, while Chabot and Karlsson get the honorable mentions. 

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Tuesday, November 23, 2021

NHL 2021-22 - Day 43

Ahead of Thanksgiving week, it's a quiet Tuesday with three games on. We begin with...

The Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter Hart and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the masked men. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with a Zach Bogosian goal, via Mikhail Sergachev and Pat Maroon. The Lightning added on in the second period with a Steven Stamkos goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Bogosian and Ryan McDonagh. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Corey Perry scored, thanks to Stamkos and Sergachev. The Lightning padded the lead on an Alex Barre-Boulet goal, his third of the year, coming off of Stamkos. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars handed to Vasilevskiy (34 save shutout), Stamkos, and Bogosian, while Sergachev gets an honorable mention.

Down in Dallas, the Stars welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Jake Oettinger are the young goalies. Dallas started in the first period with a Roope Hintz power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Alexander Radulov and John Klingberg. The Stars added on with a Jason Robertson power play goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Hintz and Klingberg. Dallas extended the lead in the second period as Denis Gurianov scored his third of the season, thanks to Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen. Edmonton got on the board with a Ryan McLeod goal, his third of the year, passed from Leon Draisaitl and Jesse Puljujarvi. The Stars replied in the third period with a Luke Glendening goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Ryan Suter and Joel Kiviranta. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars going to Hintz, Klingberg, and Oettinger (21 for 22 in saves).

Finally, the Calgary Flames bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Marc-Andre Fleury and Jacob Markstrom tend the twines. Calgary kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Dillon Dube goal, his second of the season, made possible by Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin. Chicago tied it on a Brandon Hagel goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by Ryan Carpenter and Reese Johnson. The Flames took the lead with a Milan Lucic goal, his fifth of the season, via Brad Richardson. The Blackhawks tied it in the second period on a Johnson goal, going in unassisted. Calgary pulled ahead in the third period with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Andersson and Elias Lindholm. The Flames added on with an unassisted Trevor Lewis empty net goal, his second of the season. Calgary iced it at 5-2 with a Johnny Gaudreau empty net goal, his ninth of the year, set up by Lindholm. The three stars were Andersson, Lindholm, and Tkachuk. 

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Monday, November 22, 2021

NHL 2021-22 - Day 42

We're up for six games tonight. First up...

The Buffalo Sabres host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Dustin Tokarski start in goal. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Tage Thompson goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Victor Olofsson and Henri Jokiharju. Columbus tied it on a Jack Roslovic goal, assisted by Zach Werenski and Gregory Hofmann. The Blue Jackets took the lead with another Roslovic goal, passed from Max Domi and Gavin Bayreuther. The Sabres tied it on a Zemgus Girgensons power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Colin Miller and Rasmus Dahlin. Columbus retook the lead in the second period with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Gustav Nyquist and Boone Jenner. The Blue Jackets added on with a Domi goal, his second of the year, via Hofmann and Roslovic. Aaron Dell replaced Tokarski in goal. Columbus extended the lead as Vladislav Gavrikov scored, thanks to Andrew Peeke and Domi. Buffalo got one back with a Dylan Cozens goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Jeff Skinner and Miller. The Sabres pulled closer on a Thompson power play goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, with assists provided by Dahlin and Cozens. The Blue Jackets responded in the third period with a Gavrikov empty net goal, his second of the game, set up by Jenner. Columbus finished it at 7-4 with a Sean Kuraly empty net goal, his third of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Roslovic, Gavrikov, and Domi, while Jenner, Hofmann, Thompson, Cozens, Dahlin, and Miller get the honorable mentions.

Over in St. Louis, the Blues welcome the Vegas Golden Knights. Robin Lehner and Jordan Binnington guard the cages. Vegas began in the first period with a Chandler Stephenson goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights added on with a Reilly Smith goal, his eighth of the year, guided in by Ben Hutton. St. Louis got on the board with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his third of the season, via David Perron and Colton Parayko. The Blues tied it on a Tyler Bozak goal, fueled by Klim Kostin and Justin Faulk. St. Louis took the lead with a Faulk goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The Blues extended the lead in the second period on a Brandon Saad power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Vladimir Tarasenko and Perron. St. Louis padded the lead in the third period as Niko Mikkola scored, thanks to Robert Thomas and Tarasenko. This stood for a 5-2 win, with the three stars given to Faulk, Tarasenko, and Perron.

Back in Nashville, the Predators bring in the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Juuse Saros tend the twines. Nashville started in the first period with a Ryan Johansen goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Yakov Trenin and Tanner Jeannot. Anaheim tied it in the second period with a Rickard Rakell goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano. The Predators retook the lead with a Mikael Granlund power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Johansen. The Ducks tied it again in the third period with a Jamie Drysdale goal, his second of the year, going in unassisted. Nashville pulled ahead on an unassisted Trenin goal, his second of the campaign. This held for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Trenin, Johansen, and Granlund.

Up in Winnipeg, the Jets host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Connor Hellebuyck protect the nets. Winnipeg struck first in the first period with a Dominic Toninato goal, his second of the season, fueled by Neal Pionk and Brenden Dillon. Pittsburgh tied it in the second period with a Jason Zucker goal, his fourth of the year, coming off of Evan Rodrigues and John Marino. The Penguins took the lead in the third period with a Danton Heinen goal, his sixth of the season, via Chad Ruhwedel and Dominik Simon. Pittsburgh added on with a Jake Guentzel empty net goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Jeff Carter and the goalie Jarry. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Jarry (30 for 31 in saves), Heinen, and Zucker.

Back stateside, the Colorado Avalanche welcome the Ottawa Senators. Filip Gustavsson and Darcy Kuemper man the nets. Colorado opened in the first period with a Valeri Nichushkin goal, his third of the season, assisted by Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky. Ottawa tied it with a Zach Sanford power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Lassi Thomson and Michael Del Zotto. The Avalanche retook the lead with a Cale Makar goal, his sixth of the season, via Gabriel Landeskog. The Senators tied it again on an Artem Zub goal, helped along by Brady Tkachuk. Colorado pulled ahead again in the second period with a Devon Toews goal, his third of the year, coming off of Kadri and Burakovsky. Ottawa even it with another Sanford goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, with a lone helper by Tyler Ennis. The Senators gained the lead in the third period with a Josh Norris power play goal, his seventh of the year, with assists provided by Tim Stutzle and Connor Brown. The Avalanche retied it on a Makar goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, going in unassisted. Ottawa took the lead again with Sanford completing his hat trick on his fifth of the year, guided in by Tkachuk and Logan Shaw. Colorado evened it again with a Mikko Rantanen power play goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Burakovsky and Kadri. The Avalanche pulled ahead with an Alex Newhook goal, his second of the year, passed from Logan O'Connor and Nichushkin. Colorado iced it at 7-5 with a Kadri empty net goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Toews. The three stars belonged to Kadri, Makar, and Sanford, while Nichushkin, Toews, Burakovsky, and Tkachuk get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Antti Raanta and James Reimer are the veterans in goal. Carolina got going in the second period with a Tony DeAngelo goal, his fourth of the season, via Teuvo Teravainen and Seth Jarvis. San Jose tied it in the third period with a Kevin Labanc goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Jasper Weatherby. The Sharks won 2-1 in overtime with an Alexander Barabanov goal, his third of the campaign, assisted by Tomas Hertl and Mario Ferraro. The three stars went to Reimer (22 for 23 in saves), Barabanov, and Labanc. 

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Sunday, November 21, 2021

NHL 2021-22 - Day 41

There's seven games on today, beginning with...

The Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Minnesota Wild. Kaapo Kahkonen and Brian Elliott are the goalies. Tampa Bay started in the first period with an Anthony Cirelli power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Victor Hedman and Ondrej Palat. The Lightning added on with a Pat Maroon goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Corey Perry and Mikhail Sergachev. Minnesota got on the board with a Marcus Foligno power play goal, his seventh of the season, with assists provided by Matt Dumba and Alex Goligoski. The Wild tied it on a Brandon Duhaime goal, his third of the year, fueled by Jordie Benn and Rem Pitlick. Tampa Bay retook the lead with a Cirelli goal, his second of the game and sixth of the season, assisted by Cal Foote and Alex Killorn. The Lightning extended the lead as Alex Barre-Boulet scored his second of the year, thanks to Steven Stamkos and Ryan McDonagh. Minnesota got one back with a Kevin Fiala goal, his third of the season, coming off of Dmitry Kulikov and Goligoski. The Wild tied it on a Joel Eriksson Ek goal, his eighth of the year, assisted by Kirill Kaprizov and Fiala. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Stamkos won it 5-4 for the Lightning. The three stars were Cirelli, Stamkos, and Fiala, while Goligoski gets an honorable mention.

Up in New York, the Rangers welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Aaron Dell and Alexandar Georgiev are the backups in goal. Buffalo opened in the first period with a Rasmus Asplund power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo. New York tied it on a Chris Kreider power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, with assists provided by Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox. The Sabres retook the lead in the second period with an unassisted Vinnie Hinostroza goal, his second of the season. The Rangers tied it again with a Jacob Trouba goal, his second of the year, guided in by Panarin and Filip Chytil. New York pulled ahead with a Kaapo Kakko goal, his third of the season, made possible by Ryan Strome and Panarin. Buffalo evened the score on a Tage Thompson goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Rasmus Dahlin and Mark Pysyk. The Sabres gained the lead as Dahlin scored his third of the season, coming off of Okposo and Thompson. The Rangers retied it on a K'Andre Miller goal, his second of the year, helped along by Barclay Goodrow and Ryan Reaves. New York won 5-4 on a third period goal by Ryan Lindgren, his second of the campaign, with helpers from Mika Zibanejad and Fox. The three stars were Panarin, Fox, and Dahlin, while Thompson gets an honorable mention.

Over in Boston, the Bruins bring in the Calgary Flames. Dan Vladar and Jeremy Swayman protect the nets. Calgary led off in the first period with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Juuso Valimaki and Matthew Tkachuk. The Flames added on in the second period with a Noah Hanifin goal, via Tkachuk and Rasmus Andersson. Calgary extended the lead in the third period on a shorthanded Andrew Mangiapane goal, his fifteenth of the year, set up by Dillon Dube. The Flames padded the lead as Mikael Backlund scored his fourth of the campaign, thanks to Elias Lindholm. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars awarded to Vladar (27 save shutout), Tkachuk, and Gaudreau.

Along to Long Island, as the New York Islanders host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Joseph Woll is mismatched with Ilya Sorokin in goal. Toronto began in the first period with a Mitchell Marner shorthanded goal, his fifth of the season, set up by Jake Muzzin. The Maple Leafs added on in the third period with an Ondrej Kase goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by David Kampf and Ondrej Kase. Toronto extended the lead as Marner scored his second of the game and sixth of the season, thanks to Michael Bunting. This stood for a 3-0 win, with the three stars being Woll (20 save shutout), Marner, and Kase.

Out west, the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Marc-Andre Fleury and Thatcher Demko guard the cages. Chicago dented the scoreboard in the third period with a Brandon Hagel goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Erik Gustafsson and Dylan Strome. This made it 1-0, the final, with the three stars given to Fleury (40 save shutout), Hagel, and Demko (23 for 24 in saves).

Stateside, the Seattle Kraken bring in the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek and Philipp Grubauer patrol the creases. Washington struck first in the first period with a Tom Wilson goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Evgeny Kuznetsov. Seattle tied it on a Jared McCann power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Jaden Schwartz and Morgan Geekie. The Kraken took the lead with a Schwartz goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Carson Soucy and Colin Blackwell. Seattle added on with an Adam Larsson goal, via Yanni Gourde and Calle Jarnkrok. The Kraken extended the lead as Jarnkrok scored, thanks to Schwartz. The Capitals fired back in the third period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his fifteenth of the year, assisted by Dmitry Orlov and Wilson. Seattle iced it at 5-2 with a Gourde empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, set up by Brandon Tanev and Schwartz. The three stars belonged to Schwartz, Jarnkrok, and Wilson, while Gourde gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Arizona Coyotes. Karel Vejmelka and Jonathan Quick are in the blue paint. Los Angeles got going in the second period with a Brendan Lemieux goal, his fourth of the season, via Blake Lizotte. Arizona tied it in the third period on a Travis Boyd goal, his third of the year, coming off of Shayne Gostisbehere and Clayton Keller. The Coyotes won 2-1 in overtime with a Kyle Capobianco goal, his second of the campaign, assisted by Keller and Boyd. The three stars were Vejmelka (37 for 38 in saves), Boyd, and Keller. 

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Saturday, November 20, 2021

NHL 2021-22 - Day 40

There's twelve games on this Saturday, and we'll begin out west with...

The Los Angeles Kings hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen and Calvin Petersen are the goalies. Carolina led off in the first period with a Seth Jarvis goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Sebastian Aho and Tony DeAngelo. Los Angeles tied it on a Blake Lizotte goal, via Brendan Lemieux and Alexander Edler. The Hurricanes retook the lead with a Derek Stepan goal, his third of the year, guided in by Jordan Martinook and Brady Skjei. The Kings tied it again with an Adrian Kempe goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by Edler and Anze Kopitar. Carolina took the lead in the second period with an Aho goal, his eighth of the year, fueled by Andrei Svechnikov and the goalie Andersen. Los Angeles tied it again on a Kempe shorthanded goal, his second of the game and seventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Hurricanes restored the lead on a Jesperi Kotkaniemi goal, his third of the year, with helpers from Stepan and Jaccob Slavin. The Kings evened it again on a Lemieux goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Matt Roy. Carolina pulled ahead once more with a Martin Necas goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Nino Niederreiter and Jordan Staal. This stood for a 5-4 win, with the three stars going to Aho, Stepan, and Kempe, while Lemieux and Edler get the honorable mentions.

Way east to Tampa Bay, as the Lightning welcome the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the masked men. Tampa Bay began in the first period with a Jan Rutta goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. New Jersey tied it on a Yegor Sharangovich goal, via Alexander Holtz. The Lightning retook the lead with a Pat Maroon goal, his third of the year, guided in by Ross Colton and Mikhail Sergachev. Tampa Bay added on in the second period with a Victor Hedman goal, his third of the season, coming off of Boris Katchouk and Rutta. The Devils pulled one back in the third period with a Dawson Mercer goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Sharangovich and Jonas Siegenthaler. New Jersey tied it on a Jimmy Vesey goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by P.K. Subban and Siegenthaler. The Devils pulled ahead on a Sharangovich goal, his second of the game, helped along by Jesper Bratt. New Jersey iced it at 5-3 with a Tomas Tatar empty net goal, his second of the year, set up by Ryan Graves. The three stars were awarded to Sharangovich, Rutta, and Siegenthaler.

Also in Florida, the Panthers bring in the Minnesota Wild. Cam Talbot and Sergei Bobrovsky are the veterans in goal. Florida opened in the first period with an Owen Tippett goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Aaron Ekblad and Frank Vatrano. The Panthers added on in the second period with a Vatrano goal, his fifth of the year, via Joe Thornton and Radko Gudas. Minnesota got on the board with a Joel Eriksson Ek power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov. Florida responded with another Vatrano goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, courtesy of Gustav Forsling. The Wild got one back in the third period with a Kaprizov goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Frederick Gaudreau. The Panthers shot back with a Carter Verhaeghe goal, his sixth of the year, assisted by MacKenzie Weegar and Ekblad. Minnesota got closer with a Marcus Foligno goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Alex Goligoski and Victor Rask. Florida replied with an empty net goal by Sam Bennett, his sixth of the year, set up by Jonathan Huberdeau. The Wild got one back with a Ryan Hartman goal, his ninth of the campaign, with a helper from Eriksson Ek. The final was 5-4, with the three stars going to Vatrano, Kaprizov, and Eriksson Ek, while Ekblad gets an honorable mention.

Up north, the Philadelphia Flyers host the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Martin Jones are in the creases. Boston drew first blood in the first period with a Tomas Nosek goal, his second of the season, assisted by Anton Blidh and Matt Grzelcyk. The Bruins added on in the second period with a Derek Forbort goal, his third of the year, via Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Philadelphia got on the board with a Derick Brassard goal, his third of the season, coming off of Cam Atkinson and Claude Giroux. The Flyers tied it with a Brassard power play goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, powered by Giroux and Ivan Provorov. Boston retook the lead with a Forbort goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, guided in by Craig Smith and Jake DeBrusk. The Bruins extended the lead in the third period as Smith scored, thanks to Erik Haula and DeBrusk. Boston padded the lead with a Pastrnak goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Jakub Zboril and Charlie Coyle. The final held at 5-2, with the three stars given to Forbort, Pastrnak, and Smith, while Brassard, DeBrusk and Giroux get the honorable mentions.

Along to Toronto, as the Maple Leafs welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Jack Campbell guard the cages. Pittsburgh struck first in the first period with a Jake Guentzel goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Bryan Rust and Brian Dumoulin. The Penguins added on with a Jeff Carter goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Jason Zucker and Kasperi Kapanen. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the three stars going to Jarry (26 save shutout), Guentzel, and Carter.

Over in Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Samuel Montembeault are in the blue paint. Montreal started in the first period with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, assisted by David Savard and Jake Evans. The Canadiens added on with a Christian Dvorak goal, his third of the season, guided in by Josh Anderson and Jonathan Drouin in the second period. Montreal extended the lead as Brendan Gallagher scored on the power play, his fourth of the year, powered by Drouin and Tyler Toffoli. The Canadiens padded the lead on a Ryan Poehling goal, his second of the season, coming off of Chris Wideman and Lehkonen. Montreal continued with another Poehling goal, his second of the game and third of the year, via Toffoli and Wideman. David Rittich replaced Saros in goal. Nashville got on the board in the third period with a Matt Duchene power play goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Roman Josi and Ryan Johansen. The Predators got closer with another Duchene power play goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, with assists provided by Mikael Granlund and Eeli Tolvanen. Nashville pulled one back as Duchene completed his natural hat trick with his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Johansen and Granlund. The Canadiens iced it at 6-3 with an empty net goal by Toffoli, his fourth of the year, set up by Joel Armia. The three stars were handed to Duchene, Poehling, and Toffoli, while Lehkonen, Drouin, Wideman, Johansen, and Granlund get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the New York Islanders host the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Semyon Varlamov are the experienced goalies. Calgary kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Brad Richardson goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. The Flames added on with an Andrew Mangiapane power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Noah Hanifin and Johnny Gaudreau. New York got on the board with a Brock Nelson power play goal, his eighth of the season, with assists provided by Richard Panik and Kyle Palmieri. Calgary replied in the second period with a Mangiapane power play goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, with helpers from Hanifin and Mikael Backlund. The Islanders got one back in the third period with a Nelson goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Flames shot back with a Trevor Lewis empty net goal, going in unassisted. Calgary iced at 5-2 with a Gaudreau empty net goal, his seventh of the year, set up by Elias Lindholm and Hanifin. The three stars were Mangiapane, Gaudreau, and Hanifin, while Nelson gets an honorable mention.

Southwest to Texas, where the Dallas Stars welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jordan Binnington and Jake Oettinger are between the pipes. Dallas got going with a Ryan Suter power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Denis Gurianov and Jamie Benn in the second period. The Stars added on with a shorthanded Roope Hintz goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Michael Raffl and Esa Lindell. St. Louis got on the board with a Brandon Saad power play goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by David Perron and Torey Krug. Dallas replied in the third period with a Hintz shorthanded goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, via Raffl. The Stars iced it at 4-1 with a Benn empty net goal, his second of the game and sixth of the campaign, coming off of Joe Pavelski and Lindell. The three stars belonged to Hintz, Benn, and Raffl, while Lindell gets an honorable mention.

Westward to Arizona, as the Coyotes bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Alex Nedeljkovic and Scott Wedgewood are set to start in goal. Detroit was first to score in the first period with a Dylan Larkin goal, his ninth of the season, via Lucas Raymond. Arizona tied it in the third period on a Ryan Dzingel goal, his second of the year, guided in by Cam Dineen and Lawson Crouse. The Coyotes won 2-1 in overtime with a Clayton Keller goal, his fourth of the campaign, set up by Jakob Chychrun and Phil Kessel. The three stars were Wedgewood (33 for 34 in saves), Keller, and Dzingel.

Up in Vegas, the Golden Knights host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Laurent Brossoit are in net. Columbus led off in the first period with a Gustav Nyquist goal, his third of the season, via Jake Bean and Zach Werenski. The Blue Jackets added on with an Alexandre Texier shorthanded goal, his sixth of the year, set up by Bean and Werenski. Vegas got on the board in the second period with a Keegan Kolesar goal, assisted by Jake Leschyshyn. The Golden Knights tied it in the third period with a shorthanded Reilly Smith goal, his seventh of the season, going in unassisted. Vegas pulled ahead on a Mattias Janmark goal, coming off of Nicolas Hague and Kolesar. The final held at 3-2, with the three stars going to Kolesar, Bean, and Werenski.

Further north, the Edmonton Oilers welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Kevin Lankinen and Stuart Skinner are the backups in goal. Edmonton began in the first period with a Connor McDavid goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard. The Oilers added on with a Tyson Barrie power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Leon Draisaitl and McDavid. Edmonton extended the lead as Kailer Yamamoto scored a shorthanded goal, his fourth of the season, set up by Colton Sceviour. The Oilers padded the lead on a Ryan McLeod goal, his second of the year, guided in by Warren Foegele and Philip Broberg. Chicago got on the board with an Alex DeBrincat goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Kirby Dach and Seth Jones. The Blackhawks got closer with a DeBrincat goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, fueled by Philipp Kurashev. Edmonton replied with a Draisaitl shorthanded goal, his eighteenth of the season, via Bouchard. The final held from here at 5-2, with the three stars given to McDavid, Draisaitl, and DeBrincat, while Bouchard gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Washington Capitals. Ilya Samsonov and Adin Hill protect the nets. Washington struck first in the first period on a Conor Sheary goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Daniel Sprong and Aliaksei Protas. The Capitals added on with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by John Carlson and T.J. Oshie. Washington extended the lead in the third period as Sheary scored his second of the game and fifth of the season, thanks to Carlson and Ovechkin. The Capitals iced it at 4-0 with an Ovechkin empty net goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the year, set up by Nic Dowd. The three stars were Ovechkin, Samsonov (22 save shutout), and Sheary, while Carlson gets an honorable mention. 

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Friday, November 19, 2021

NHL 2021-22 - Day 39

Just two games on tonight, beginning with...

The Vancouver Canucks welcoming the Winnipeg Jets. Eric Comrie and Thatcher Demko are in goal. Vancouver started in the first period with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Elias Pettersson and Vasily Podkolzin. The Canucks added on with a Kyle Burroughs goal, via Tyler Myers and Jason Dickinson. Winnipeg got on the board with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his sixth of the year, going in unassisted. Vancouver replied with a Conor Garland power play goal, his fifth of the season, with assists provided by Alex Chiasson and J.T. Miller. The Jets got one back in third period with a Pierre-Luc Dubois goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. This made it 3-2, with the three stars being Garland, Burroughs, and Demko (37 for 39 in saves).

Stateside, the Seattle Kraken bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Darcy Kuemper faces a lesser foe in Chris Driedger in goal. Colorado opened in the first period with an Andre Burakovsky power play goal, his fifth of the season, going in unassisted. The Avalanche added on with a shorthanded Valeri Nichushkin goal, his second of the year, set up by Tyson Jost and Ryan Murray. Colorado extended the lead in the second period as Cale Makar scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Nazem Kadri. The Avalanche padded the lead on a Burakovsky power play goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, with assists provided by Makar and Kadri. Philipp Grubauer relieved Driedger in goal. Colorado continued with a Makar goal, his second of the game and fifth of the season, helped along by Darren Helm. The Avalanche struck again with an Erik Johnson goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Mikko Rantanen and Kiefer Sherwood. Colorado kept going in the third period with a Nicolas Aube-Kubel goal, made possible by Jost and Alex Newhook. Seattle got on the board with a Jordan Eberle power play goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Marcus Johansson and Vince Dunn. The Kraken got one back with a Brandon Tanev power play goal, his ninth of the year, fueled by Carson Soucy and Adam Larsson. Seattle got closer with a Colin Blackwell goal, assisted by Joonas Donskoi. The final held at 7-3, with the three stars given to Makar, Burakovsky, and Kadri, while Jost gets an honorable mention. 

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Thursday, November 18, 2021

NHL 2021-22 - Day 38

We've got another 11-game schedule today, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Calgary Flames. Jacob Markstrom and Dustin Tokarski are set to start in goal. Calgary began in the first period with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Matthew Tkachuk and Christopher Tanev. The Flames added on in the second period with an Andrew Mangiapane goal, his eleventh of the year, assisted by Oliver Kylington and Tanev. Calgary extended the lead as Tkachuk scored his eighth of the season, with the help of Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm. The Flames padded the lead on a Mangiapane goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, coming off of Mikael Backlund and Nikita Zadorov. Calgary continued with a Gaudreau power play goal, his second of the game and sixth of the season, powered by Sean Monahan and Tkachuk. Aaron Dell replaced Tokarski in goal. The final stood at 5-0, with the three stars awarded to Gaudreau, Tkachuk, and Markstrom (27 save shutout), while Mangiapane and Tanev get the honorable mentions. 

In Toronto, the Maple Leafs welcome the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Jack Campbell tend the twines. Toronto opened in the first period with a Morgan Rielly goal, his second of the season, coming off of Wayne Simmonds and Michael Bunting. The Maple Leafs added on with a Rielly power play goal, his second of the game and third of the year, powered by Auston Matthews. New York got on the board with a Dryden Hunt goal, via Ryan Strome and Kaapo Kakko. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Rielly, Campbell (27 for 28 in saves), and Hunt.

Over to Quebec, where the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tristan Jarry and Cayden Primeau are in the blue paint. Pittsburgh led off in the first period with a Sidney Crosby goal, courtesy of Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust. The Penguins added on with a Danton Heinen goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by John Marino and Kasperi Kapanen. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Guentzel scored his sixth of the year, thanks to Rust and Kris Letang. The Penguins padded the lead in the second period on a Teddy Blueger goal, his fourth of the season, via Zach Aston-Reese. Pittsburgh continued on a Brock McGinn goal, his fourth of the year, helped along by Mike Matheson and Blueger. Samuel Montembeault replaced Primeau in goal. The Penguins struck again in the third period with a Blueger goal, his second of the game and fifth of the season, with helpers from Aston-Reese and Marino. The three stars were Blueger, Jarry (24 save shutout), and Guentzel, while Aston-Reese, Rust, and Marino get the honorable mentions.

Down in Florida, the Panthers host the New Jersey Devils. MacKenzie Blackwood and Spencer Knight are the young goalies. New Jersey struck first in the first period with a Dougie Hamilton goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Jimmy Vesey and P.K. Subban. Florida tied it on a Carter Verhaeghe goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of MacKenzie Weegar. The Panthers took the lead in the second period with an Eetu Luostarinen goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Ryan Lomberg and Patric Hornqvist. Florida added on with a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Anthony Duclair. The Panthers extended the lead as Duclair scored his ninth of the season, thanks to Huberdeau and Aaron Ekblad. Jonathan Bernier replaced Blackwood in goal. The final stood at 4-1, with the three stars given to Knight (45 for 46 in saves), Huberdeau, and Duclair.

Back north, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Carter Hart guard the cages. Philadelphia started in the first period with a Claude Giroux goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Derick Brassard. The Flyers added on with a Travis Konecny goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. Tampa Bay got on the board in the second period with a Brayden Point power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman. The Lightning tied it with a Mathieu Joseph goal, his third of the year, fueled by Alex Killorn and Zach Bogosian. Tampa Bay took the lead on a Stamkos goal, his ninth of the season, coming off of Hedman and Killorn. Philadelphia retied it with a Giroux goal, his second of the game and seventh of the year, guided in by Brassard. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Stamkos and Point lifted the Lightning 4-3 over the Flyers. Stamkos, Giroux, and Point were the three stars while Killorn, Hedman, and Brassard get the honorable mentions.

Westward to St. Louis, as the Blues bring in the San Jose Sharks. James Reimer and Ville Husso draw the starts in goal. St. Louis drew first blood in the first period with a Brandon Saad power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Ryan O'Reilly and David Perron. The Blues added on in the second period with a Robert Thomas goal, his second of the year, assisted by Pavel Buchnevich and Scott Perunovich. San Jose got on the board with a Jonathan Dahlen goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Timo Meier and Logan Couture. St. Louis shot back with another Saad goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, via Oskar Sundqvist and Ivan Barbashev. The Blues extended the lead in the third period as Jordan Kyrou scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Perron. The final held at 4-1, with the three stars being Saad, Perron, and Husso (26 for 27 in saves).

Up in Minnesota, the Wild host the Dallas Stars. Anton Khudobin and Cam Talbot are the masked men. Minnesota kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Rem Pitlick goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Nico Sturm and Brandon Duhaime. The Wild added on with a Kirill Kaprizov goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Mats Zuccarello and Victor Rask. Minnesota extended the lead as Ryan Hartman scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Alex Goligoski and Kevin Fiala in the second period. Dallas got on the board with a Jacob Peterson goal, his second of the year, via Tyler Seguin and Luke Glendening. The Wild shot back with a Goligoski goal, assisted by Joel Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway. Minnesota continued with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his second of the season, made possible by Kaprizov and Rask. The Stars got one back with a Jamie Benn power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Esa Lindell and Denis Gurianov. The Wild shot back with a Zuccarello goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Kaprizov and Goligoski. Minnesota continued with a Rask goal, his second of the year, coming off of Kaprizov and Zuccarello. This made it 7-2, the final, with the three stars awarded to Kaprizov, Zuccarello and Goligoski, while Rask gets an honorable mention.

Further west to Edmonton, as the Oilers welcome the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck faces a lesser foe in Stuart Skinner in goal. Winnipeg dented the scoreboard in the third period with a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. Edmonton tied it on a Connor McDavid goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Cody Ceci and Duncan Keith. In the shootout, McDavid and Kyle Turris lifted the Oilers a 2-1 win. The three stars were McDavid, Skinner (45 for 46 in saves), and Hellebuyck (32 for 33 in saves).

South to Arizona, where the Coyotes bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Scott Wedgewood occupy the creases. Arizona was first to score in the first period with a Ryan Dzingel goal, assisted by Alex Galchenyuk and Kyle Capobianco. Columbus tied it on a Boone Jenner power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Jakub Voracek and Zach Werenski. The Coyotes took the lead in the second period on a Phil Kessel goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The Blue Jackets tied it again with another Jenner goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, coming off of Oliver Bjorkstrand and Jake Bean. Columbus took the lead on a Justin Danforth goal, courtesy of Vladislav Gavrikov and Jack Roslovic. Arizona tied it on a Lawson Crouse goal, his fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Travis Boyd and Jakob Chychrun. The Blue Jackets retook the lead in the third period with a Werenski power play goal, his fourth of the season, with assists provided by Voracek and Bjorkstrand. The Coyotes tied it again with a Chychrun goal, his second of the year, guided in by Clayton Keller and Ilya Lyubushkin. The tie lasted to a shootout where Voracek, Gustav Nyquist and Yegor Chinakhov lifted the Blues Jackets 5-4 over Galchenyuk, Chychrun, and the Coyotes. The three stars were Jenner, Werenski, and Chychrun, while Voracek and Bjorkstrand get the honorable mentions.

Backtracking to Vegas, where the Golden Knights host the Detroit Red Wings. Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner protect the nets. Vegas got going in the second period with a Nicolas Hague goal, his third of the season, via Evgenii Dadonov and Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights added on with a Zach Whitecloud goal, assisted by Mark Stone and Brett Howden. Detroit got on the board with a Givani Smith goal, made possible by Dylan Larkin and Robby Fabbri. Vegas shot back with Whitecloud's second goal of the game, coming off of Nicolas Roy. The Golden Knights extended the lead as Paul Cotter scored his second of the year, courtesy of Keegan Kolesar. Alex Nedeljkovic replaced Greiss in goal. Vegas padded the lead in the third period with a Reilly Smith goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Jake Leschysyn and Mattias Janmark. The Red Wings got one back with a Joe Veleno goal, his second of the year, with a lone assist by Sam Gagner. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Whitecloud, Cotter, and Lehner (26 for 28 in saves).

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Carolina Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen and John Gibson are the strong goalies. Anaheim cracked the scoresheet in the first period with an Ethan Bear goal, via Martin Necas. Anaheim tied it with a Troy Terry goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Adam Henrique and Ryan Getzlaf. The Hurricanes took the lead in the third period with a Seth Jarvis goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Andersen (31 for 32 in saves), Jarvis, and Bear. 

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