26 teams took to the ice for their final game of 2018.
Philadelphia Flyers v Carolina Hurricanes
1-3
Jordan Martinook set a new franchise record for the Carolina Hurricanes on New Year’s Eve. His unassisted goal six seconds into the second period was the fastest to open a period in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history.
Lucas Wallmark and Andrei Svechnikov scored the other goals for Carolina, who won for the first time in three games. Curtis McElhinney made 22 saves between the pipes at PNC Arena.
Jakub Voracek scored the visitors’ only goal. Michal Neuvrith made 23 saves after replacing Carter Hart 2:19 into the second period. Hart allowed three goals on 10 shots.
As has become custom when the Canes win at home, they gave their fans a new postgame celebration. Whilst the other players formed a Guard of Honor, Svechnikov skated the whole length of the ice and slid himself into the net under the sticks of his teammates. I guess you could say the Russian scored twice for Carolina, once with the puck and once with himself.
Justin Williams and Curtis McElhinney both had big nights, the first playing in his 1,200th career game and the latter his 200th.
Up Next:
Canes v Flyers – Thursday, January 3rd (7pm)
Flyers v Predators – Tuesday, January 1st (8:30pm)
Nashville Predators v Washington Capitals
6-3
The Nashville Predators are probably thinking they should take the moms on the road every game. It’s the first season the Preds have done the mothers outing. Emotions were running high for all the moms, though Susie Grimaldi, mother of Rocco Grimaldi had the most emotional afternoon of all. She was seen crying tears of joy after her son scored during the first period, he later estimated that his parents have only seen him play live a handful of times through his 58-game NHL career with the Preds, Panthers and Avalanche.
After facing a 3-1 deficit the visitors rallied with five unanswered goals to beat the reigning champions 6-3 in their own backyard. The victory ended their season-high six-game losing streak and 10-game road losing streak.
Ryan Johansen had a goal and two assists, whilst Viktor Arvidsson and Grimaldi each scored one and assisted another. The other goals came from Miikka Salomaki, Frederick Gaudreau and Ryan Ellis. In net, Pekka Rinne made 22 saves.
Up Next:
Flyers v Predators – Tuesday, January 1st (8:30pm)
Capitals v Blues – Thursday, January 3rd (8pm)
Vancouver Canucks v New Jersey Devils
0-4
Rookie Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves for his second straight shutout in their 4-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. The 22-year-old hasn’t allowed a goal in 122:25, since Boston’s Patrice Bergeron scored against him on Thursday. He becomes the first rookie in Devils history to have back-to-back shutouts.
Brian Boyle, Miles Wood, Sami Vatanen and Pavel Zacha provided the goals for the home team, who have won three straight for the first time since opening the season with four consecutive wins.
Coming into the game Vancouver had won their previous two games and were 8-2-1 in their last 11. Anders Nilsson made 19 saves for them.
Up Next:
Canucks v Senators – Wednesday, January 2nd (7pm)
Devils v Stars – Wednesday, January 2nd (8:30pm)
Pittsburgh Penguins v Minnesota Wild
3-2
Pittsburgh extended their season-long winning streak to six games with their 3-2 win in Minnesota on Monday night.
Phil Kessel had a goal and two assists, Sid Crosby had a goal and an assist for the penguins, whilst goaltender Casey DeSmith made 31 saves.
Mikko Koivu had a goal and an assist, the other goal coming from Zach Parise. Devan Dubnyk made 29 saves for the 18-17-3 Wild, who are 1-5-1 in their last seven games.
Up Next:
Penguins v Rangers – Wednesday, January 2nd (7pm)
Wild v Leafs – Thursday, January 3rd (2pm)
New York Islanders v Buffalo Sabres
3-1
Buffalo had to spend most of their evening without Captain and star player Jack Eichel. The center left the game after skating four shifts for 2:42 in the first period. He had been described as a game-time decision after not practicing on Sunday.
Facing a 2-0 deficit the Sabres outworked and outshot the Islanders 12-3 in the third period as they pushed desperately for the comeback. Kyle Okposo scored for the home side to make it 2-1 but they were in dire needs of a game-tyer. Ryan Pulock put the game to bed when his clearing attempt from his defensive zone deflected into an empty net with 31.4 seconds remaining.
Much like in their OT loss to the Bruins on Saturday, Buffalo were left to deal with the frustration left from an undesirable outcome on a night they felt they deserved better.
Up Next:
Blackhawks v Islanders – Thursday, January 3rd (7:30pm)
Panthers v Sabres – Thursday, January 3rd (7pm)
New York Rangers v St Louis Blues
2-1
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 39 of 40 shots as the Rangers survived an onslaught from the Blues in the second period and final minutes of the third to ring in the New Year with a W under their belt. The only shot to elude the veteran was a cracker from Ryan O’Reilly in the first period to open the scoring.
Chris Kreider had a beautiful assist on Mats Zuccarello‘s power-play goal to level things in St Louis. Boo Nieves, reinserted into the lineup after sitting out as a healthy scratch against the Preds, gave the visitors the lead, which they would hang onto for the final 37 minutes of the game.
Up Next:
Penguins v Rangers – Wednesday, January 2nd (7pm)
Capitals v Blues – Thursday, January 3rd (8pm)
Ottawa Senators v Columbus Blue Jackets
3-6
In an eventful night that saw Ottawa without a number of key players; their top defenseman Thomas Chabot, fellow defender Christian Jaros, top goaltender Craig Anderson and center Jean-Gabriel Pageu, the hosts came away 6-3 victors.
With 6:26 left in the game at 3 apiece the Blue Jackets sprung to life, with Zach Werenski racing down the ice to bury the winner with 2:01 to play. Cam Atkinson added the 5th one minute later before Josh Anderson‘s unassisted goal sealed the game.
Up Next:
Canucks v Senators – Wednesday, January 2nd (7pm)
Blue Jackets v Canes – Friday, January 4th (7:30pm)
Florida Panthers v Detroit Red Wings
4-3 (SO)
The Florida Panthers erased a 3-0 deficit to top the Red Wings in a shootout.
With James Reimer coming into the game as Roberto Luongo‘s replacement at the start of the second period, Florida buckled down and played one of their best periods this season, scoring three unanswered goals whilst limiting Detroit to just two shots.
After a scoreless third period and overtime, the game went to the shootout, Reimer stopped all three shots he faced and Jonathan Huberdeau scored the winner to secure two points in the standings.
Up Next:
Panthers v Sabres – Thursday, January 3rd (7pm)
Flames v Red Wings – Wednesday, January 2nd (7pm)
Tampa Bay Lightning v Anaheim Ducks
2-1 (OT)
With their 2-1 overtime victory, Tampa completed the most successful regular season month in franchise history. The Bolts went 13-0-1 in December, becoming just the second-ever Lightning team to finish a month without a regulation loss and the eighth NHL team over the past 10 years to do so. They also established franchise marks for wins and points (27) in a single month. Tampa Bay extended their point streak to 15 games, the second longest point run in the team’s 26 years. If they manage at least 1pt in their next three games they’ll match the 18-game run the 2003-04 Stanley Cup winning Bolts team achieved.
Nikita Kucherov scored his 19th of the season and assisted his 46th on New Year’s Eve.
Anaheim provided a tough challenge the visiting side with their physical, heavy style of play keeping Tampa’s speed game in check. The Bolts entered the game having scored four or more goals in their previous nine games, but the Ducks clamped down, forcing them to find a new way to win.
Up Next:
Lightning v Kings – Thursday, January 3rd (10:30pm)
Knights v Ducks – Friday, January 4th (10pm)
Los Angeles Kings v Colorado Avalanche
3-2 (OT)
For the second game in a row, the Avs rallied from a multi-goal deficit to tie the game and force an overtime period. However, just like in their matchup with Chicago on Saturday, earning a point in the standing isn’t enough for the the home side.
Dustin Brown scored the winner 54 seconds into overtime to hand Colorado yet another OT loss.
Up Next:
Kings v Knights – Tuesday, January 1st (9pm)
Sharks v Avalanche – Wednesday, January 2nd (8:30pm)
Montreal Canadiens v Dallas Stars
3-2 (OT)
Montreal scored first for the sixth straight game, sending fans into early New Year’s celebrations. Then the Stars tied it and then took the lead, looking for a while like there might be a damper on the Habs’ celebrations.
Phillip Danault got Montreal on the board with his fourth goal and eight point in five games. Radek Faksa then tied things up for Dallas early in the second, setting the stage for Jamie Benn, who was facing his older brother and former Stars player Jordie, to score on the power-play to take the lead into the finally 20mins in Dallas.
An incredible performance from goaltender Antti Niemi and more heroics from Danault set the stage for an exciting finish to 2018. Jeff Petry scored just 14 seconds into the extra period to send the visiting fans wild and ending the year on a high for the Habs.
Up Next:
Canucks v Canadiens – Thursday, January 3rd (7:30pm)
Devils v Stars – Wednesday, January 2nd (8:30pm)
San Jose Sharks v Calgary Flames
5-8
Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan finished the 13-goal affair with 4pts and 5pts respectively.
Monahan‘s five assists set a career high and Gaudreau finished with two goals and two assists. Elias Lindholm (1G, 2A), Mikael Backlund (2G), Matthew Tkachuk (1G, 2A) and Michael Frolik (2A) all had a multi-point game. Meanwhile David Rittich made 28 saves between the pipes.
James Neal was undoubtedly the happiest player on the ice, snapping a 24-game goals drought with a tally to get things rolling early in the third. After his goal the jumbotron showed the former Vegas Golden Knights flashing a beaming smile.
Lukas Radil, Brent Burns, Joonas Donskoi (2) and Joe Thornton got themselves on the scoresheet for the Sharks.
Up Next:
Sharks v Avalanche – Wednesday, January 2nd (8:30pm)
Flames v Red Wings – Wednesday, January 2nd (7pm)
Winnipeg Jets v Edmonton Oilers
4-3
Winnipeg won their eighth of their past nine road games with a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Their third and fourth lines impressed with Brendan Lemieux recording his first career two goal game in the NHL. The Colorado native’s second was the game winner. Brandon Tanev and Blake Wheeler scored the Jets’ other goals
On the other side of the puck Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the opener and Leon Draisaitl scored a double.
Up Next:
Jets v Penguins – Friday, January 4th (7pm)
Oilers v Coyotes – Wednesday, January 2nd (9:30pm)
KEY
ALL TIMES U.S. EASTERN
Artistry of Sport 
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