Recaps for games of 12-29-2011

CHA 5, at Whitehorse 5

Malkin scored the game-tying goal, his third of the game, to salvage a point for the league-leading Cougar. Kulemin and MacArthur scored the other two CHA goals, while Callahan and Kopitar recorded three assists apiece. Stastny set up three goals to lead the Stallion offense, which got goals from: Carter, Grabner, Reasoner, Leopold, and Michalek. Kane and Clowe each recorded two assists. Fleury was a sieve, allowing five goals on 27 shots and stopping only one of four goalie ratings against him. CHA dominated the extra session, outshooting Whitehorse 5-0 but failing to get one past Thomas.

Manitoba 3, at Lombard 0

Niemi made 28 saves to earn the shutout, and Goligoski assisted on all three goals as the Mudders rolled into Lombard and whipped the Lightning. The Mudders dominated from the drop of the puck, outshooting Lombard 12-3 in taking a 2-0 first period lead. Henrik opened the scoring, and Antropov followed 30 seconds later. Henrik added the capper with a power play marker in the third period. Price made 29 saves in a losing effort.

London 5, at Newfoundland 5

Third period goals by Meszaros and Thornton erased a two goal deficit for the Seals in a wild game that could have been played in the Program Center at the Irving Park Y, iven the history of these two franchises. Kovalchuk, harkening back to the days of Maruk, scored twice in the first period for the Fog, and Vanek added a power play goal. Datsyuk and Bieksa, in Veitch-like fashion, scored first period goals for the Seals. Selanne, looking like Jari Kurri, tied the game in the second before Connolly got the lead back for London. Nash, a worthy heir to Jagr, added to the lead before Meszaros and Thornton tied it up. Lidstrom, a modern day Bourque, recorded three assists.

Southampton 6, at PU 2

Ryan Kesler scored twice as the High Flyers used a five-goal third period to turn a 1-1 tie into a blowout, and Miller stopped 34 of 36 shots for the victory. Backstrom opened the scoring in the second period, knocking in a pass from Stewart, and Heatley later tied the game.  Kesler scored 1:04 into the third, and the floodgates opened up. Ennis Moulson, and Kesler again scored to run Rinne from the game. Ruutu scored for PU, but Koivu finished the scoring by beating Rask.

Ottawa 4, at El Paso 3

Hossa’s second goal of the game, a power play tally in overtime, earned the Tuque two points despite being outshot 39-25.  Vermette and St. Louis scored to put the Puck up 2-0. Hossa and Steen answered for the Tuque to tie the game at 2 after one period. McBain’s seventh of the year gave El Paso the lead. Couture tied it up with his sixth of the year on the power play to send the game to OT, where Hossa won it. Toews earned the game’s #1 star by assisting on all four Tuque tallies.