NHL Recap Rundown
Toronto Maple Leafs 3 vs. Nashville Predators 2
The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a thrilling win, making it an exciting finish down the stretch. Auston Matthews put on a show, coming within inches of a hat trick, with a shot that rang off the post. The first two periods featured just one goal, scored by Jonathan Marchessault, but once the third period arrived, the Leafs took over, netting all three of their goals in the final frame. A well-balanced effort secured the victory for Toronto.
Boston Bruins 4 vs. Chicago Blackhawks 2
It’s always a must-watch matchup when the Bruins and Blackhawks go head-to-head at full strength. The atmosphere at the United Center was electric early, as Alex Vlasic opened the scoring for Chicago, igniting the crowd. However, things quickly shifted when Morgan Geekie found the net for Boston, leveling the score. Geekie went on to score twice, while Brad Marchand lit the lamp on a controversial goal early in the second period. Marchand struck again shortly after, finishing the night with two goals. With the win, Boston extended their winning streak to three games.
Vegas Golden Knights 4 vs. Anaheim Ducks 1
It was a frustrating night for the last-place Ducks, as the Golden Knights cruised to an easy victory. Vegas fired 32 shots on John Gibson, keeping the pressure high throughout the game. Shea Theodore led the charge, scoring twice, while William Karlsson and Alexander Holtz also found the twine. Jack Eichel continued to rack up points, adding two assists to his stat sheet. The lone bright spot for Anaheim was Jackson LaCombe, who netted their only goal. However, things took a turn for the worse when All-Star Trevor Zegras left the game with a potentially serious lower-body injury. It was a night to forget for Anaheim, who now faces a tough matchup against a dominant Minnesota Wild squad.
LA Kings 3 vs. Dallas Stars 2
A high-energy battle between the Dallas Stars and LA Kings delivered three thrilling periods of hockey. LA goaltender David Rittich outplayed Jake Oettinger, which ultimately made the difference in the Kings’ victory. Rittich stopped 26 of 28 shots, while Oettinger made just 14 saves on 17 shots.
The first period belonged to Dallas, with Wyatt Johnston and Mason Marchment each scoring. However, Tanner Jeannot and Joel Edmundson flipped the script in the second period, each finding the back of the net for LA. The game-winner came in the third period, when Warren Foegele buried a nasty wrap-around goal past Oettinger’s blocker side. With this victory, the Kings extended their winning streak to four games.
- – Dante Robinson | Senior NHL Analyst for TheNSR Network
