NHL Day 187 2013-2014

Eleven games on throughout the day today, spanning over twelve hours. We begin in...

Boston, as the Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers. Ray Emery and Tuukka Rask draw the starts. Boston opened in the first period with a David Krejci goal, his seventeenth of the season, guided in by Loui Eriksson and Milan Lucic. Philadelphia tied it in the second period on a Wayne Simmonds power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Mark Streit and Claude Giroux. The Bruins took the lead back on a Lucic goal, his twenty-third of the season, via Krejci and Eriksson. The Flyers tied it again with a Jay Rosehill goal, his second of the year, assisted by Michael Raffl and Andrew MacDonald. Boston regained the lead in the third period on a Johnny Boychuk goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Patrice Bergeron. The Bruins added on with a Lucic goal, his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Torey Krug and Eriksson, the latter getting a sock trick. Boston finished it at 5-2 with a Chris Kelly goal, his ninth of the campaign, passed from Eriksson and Zdeno Chara. The three stars were Lucic, Eriksson, and Krejci.

Out west, the St. Louis Blues welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Ryan Miller tend the twines. Colorado dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Paul Stastny power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, passed from Nathan MacKinnon and Max Talbot. The Avalanche added on as MacKinnon scored his twenty-fourth of the year, thanks to Jamie McGinn and Nate Guenin. Colorado extended the lead with a Nick Holden goal, his tenth of the season, with assists provided by Stastny and John Mitchell. The Avalanche padded the lead in the third period on a Ryan O'Reilly power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, powered by Stastny and Gabriel Landeskog. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars being Stastny, Varlamov (31 save shutout), and MacKinnon.

Back east, the New York Islanders bring in the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Evgeni Nabokov are in goal. New York began in the first period with a Cal Clutterbuck goal, his twelfth of the season, fueled by Casey Cizikas and Michael Grabner. Washington tied it in the second period on an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his third of the year, coming off of Marcus Johansson and Troy Brouwer. The Islanders retook the lead on a John Persson goal, made possible by Travis Hamonic and Calvin de Haan. New York added on as Frans Nielsen scored his twenty-fourth of the season, a power play goal powered by Josh Bailey and Matt Donovan. The Capitals pulled back with a Nicklas Backstrom goal, his fifteenth of the year, guided in by Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson. Washington retied it with an unassisted goal by Joel Ward, his twenty-third of the campaign. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Kuznetsov had the only goal for a 4-3 Capitals win. Kuznetsov, Backstrom, and Ward get the three stars.

Into Canada, where the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and James Reimer are the unpopular goalies. Toronto led off in the first period with a Phil Kessel goal, his thirty-seventh of the season, assisted by Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk. Winnipeg tied it on a Bryan Little goal, his twenty-third of the year, courtesy of Michael Frolik and Mark Stuart. The Maple Leafs took the lead back on an unassisted Nazem Kadri power play goal, his twentieth of the season. The Jets retied it again on a Jacob Trouba goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Frolik and Andrew Ladd. Winnipeg took the lead with a second period Tobias Enstrom power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Ladd and Blake Wheeler. The Jets added on in the third period with an Olli Jokinen goal, his eighteenth of the year, guided in by Wheeler and Eric O'Dell. This was all they needed for a 4-2 win, with the three stars being Frolik, Ladd, and Wheeler.

Over in Quebec, the Montreal Canadiens welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jonas Gustavsson is mismatched with Carey Price in goal. Montreal started in the first period with a Michael Bournival goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Ryan White. The Canadiens added on in the second period on a Max Pacioretty goal, his thirty-ninth of the year, coming off of Mike Weaver and Jarred Tinordi. The Canadiens extended the lead with a Brian Gionta goal, his sixteenth of the season, with assists provided by Lars Eller and Tinordi. Detroit got on the board in the third period with a Pavel Datsyuk power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Niklas Kronwall and Johan Franzen. The Red Wings pulled closer with a Luke Glendening goal, made possible by Justin Abdelkader and Drew Miller. Detroit tied it with a Kronwall power play goal, his eighth of the season, fueled by Franzen and Gustav Nyquist. The Canadiens took the lead back as Gionta scored his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, thanks to Eller and Alexei Emelin. Montreal iced it at 5-3 with an Alex Galchenyuk goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, helped along by Tomas Plekanec and Brendan Gallagher. Gionta, Tinordi, and Eller received the three stars, while Kronwall and Franzen get the honorable mentions.

Way south to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Ben Bishop guard the cages. Dallas quickly struck first in the first period with a Jamie Benn goal, his thirty-first of the season, via Alex Goligoski and Tyler Seguin. The Stars added on with another Jamie Benn goal, his second of the game and thirty-second of the year, guided in by Ryan Garbutt and Vernon Fiddler. Dallas extended the lead as Tyler Seguin potted his thirty-fifth of the season, thanks to Jordie Benn and Jamie Benn. Tampa Bay got on the board in the second period with a Steven Stamkos goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, made possible by Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman. The Lightning chipped closer with an Andrej Sustr goal, fueled by Ryan Malone and Nate Thompson. The Stars shot back in the third period on a Fiddler goal, his sixth of the season, going in unassisted. Dallas finished it at 5-2 with an Antoine Roussel goal, his fourteenth of the year, helped along by Garbutt and Cody Eakin. The three stars were Jamie Benn, Fiddler, and Garbutt.

Backtracking to New York, where the Rangers host the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner and Henrik Lundqvist draw the starts. Ottawa was first to score in the first period with a Mark Stone goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Clarke MacArthur and Chris Phillips. The Senators added on with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his sixteenth of the year, made possible by Zack Smith. New York got on the board in the second period with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his eighteenth of the season, fueled by Benoit Pouliot and John Moore. Ottawa shot back on a Jason Spezza goal, his twentieth of the year, with the help of Erik Karlsson. The Rangers answered with a Zuccarello goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the campaign, assisted by Marc Staal and Derick Brassard. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 3-2. The three stars went to Zuccarello, Lehner (41 for 43 in saves), and Spezza.

South to Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider and Anton Khudobin are the young goalies. New Jersey opened in the first period with a Dainius Zubrus goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Michael Ryder and Mark Fayne. Carolina tied it in the second period with a Jeff Skinner goal, his thirty-first of the year, assisted by Jay Harrison and Riley Nash. The Devils took the lead back on a Travis Zajac goal, his seventeenth of the season, fueled by Marek Zidlicky and Tuomo Ruutu. New Jersey added on with a third period empty net goal by Zubrus, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, set up by Stephen Gionta. Zubrus, Schneider (26 for 27 in saves), and Zajac received the three stars.

Northwest to Minnesota, as the Wild bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jeff Zatkoff and Ilya Bryzgalov are the below-average goalies. Minnesota started in the first period on an Erik Haula goal, his fifth of the season, via Matt Moulson and Jason Pominville. The Wild added on with a Mikko Koivu goal, his eleventh of the year, fueled by Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle. Minnesota extended the lead on a Stephane Veilleux goal, his third of the season, with a lone assist by Cody McCormick. The Wild padded the lead in the second period on a McCormick goal, his second of the year, assisted by Parise and Coyle. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 4-0, and the three stars were handed to Bryzgalov (20 save shutout), McCormick, and Parise, while Coyle gets an honorable mention.

Westward to Vancouver, as the Canucks host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Eddie Lack are the masked men. Los Angeles got going in the second period on a Slava Voynov power play goal, his fourth of the season, powered by Jeff Carter and Marian Gaborik. Vancouver tied it on a third period goal by Alexander Edler, his seventh of the year, coming off of Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The Canucks took the lead on a Brad Richardson goal, his eleventh of the campaign, assisted by Zack Kassian and David Booth. This made it 2-1, with the three stars being Lack (25 for 26 in saves), Richardson, and Edler.

Finally, in San Jose, the Sharks host the Nashville Predators. Carter Hutton and Antti Niemi are in the creases. Nashville dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Patric Hornqvist goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Matt Cullen and Colin Wilson. The Predators added on as Hornqvist scored his second of the game and twentieth of the year, thanks to Nick Spaling and Calle Jarnkrok. Nashville extended the lead on a Roman Josi goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Shea Weber and Hornqvist. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 3-0, and the three stars were Hornqvist, Hutton (35 save shutout), and Josi.

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KHL ECF: Metallurg Magnitogorsk VS. Salavat Yulaev Ufa Game 2

The second game of the Eastern Conference Final is in Magnitogorsk. The goalies are Andrei Vasilevsky for Ufa and Vasily Koshechkin for Magnitogorsk. Magnitogorsk led off in the first period with a Danis Zaripov power play goal, powered by Chris Lee. Ufa tied it on an Antti Pihlstrom goal, guided in by Teemu Hartikainen. Salavat Yulaev took the lead as Igor Mirnov scored a power play goal in the second period, via Andrei Zubarev and Kirill Koltsov. Metallurg tied it again in the third period with a Francis Pare goal, assisted by Yaroslav Kosov. Magnitogorsk won 3-2 in overtime on a Sergei Mozyakin goal, made possible by Viktor Antipin. The three stars were Mozyakin, Pare, and Zaripov. Metallurg hits the road with a 2-0 series lead.

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NHL Day 186 2013-2014

Seven games on this evening, beginning in...

Ottawa, as the Senators host the Montreal Canadiens. Peter Budaj and Craig Anderson are the mediocre goalies. Ottawa led off in the first period with a Zack Smith goal, his twelfth of the season, via Chris Phillips. The Senators added on with an Ales Hemsky goal, his twelfth of the year, coming off of Patrick Wiercioch. Ottawa extended the lead on another Smith goal, his second of the game game and thirteenth of the season, made possible by Mika Zibanejad and Chris Neil. Montreal got on the board with an Andrei Markov goal, his seventh of the year, assisted by Alex Galchenyuk and Alexei Emelin. The Canadiens pulled closer with a Mike Weaver goal, passed from Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty. Montreal tied it as Pacioretty potted his thirty-sixth of the season, thanks to Thomas Vanek and Weaver. The Canadiens took the lead with a second period Lars Eller goal, his twelfth of the year, guided in by Brian Gionta. Montreal padded their lead with an unassisted goal by Pacioretty goal, his second of the game and thirty-seventh of the season. The Canadiens got another in the third period as Pacioretty completed his hat trick on his thirty-eighth of the year, with assists provided by David Desharnais. Montreal struck again as Desharnais potted his sixteenth of the season, fueled by Pacioretty and Vanek, the latter getting a sock trick. The Senators finally answered with a Zibanejad goal, his fifteenth of the year, with a lone helper from Kyle Turris. This only made it 7-4, with the three stars going to Pacioretty, Vanek, and Smith, while Zibanejad, Weaver, and Desharnais get the honorable mentions.

Down in Columbus, the Blue Jackets welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Antti Raanta is mismatched with Sergei Bobrovsky in goal. Columbus was first to score in the first period with a Derek MacKenzie goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by R.J. Umberger and Jared Boll. Chicago tied it on a Jeremy Morin goal, his second of the year, made possible by Michal Rozsival and Patrick Sharp. The Blue Jackets took the lead back in the second period on a Ryan Johansen goal, his thirty-first of the season, courtesy of Brandon Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson. The Blackhawks tied it on a Sharp power play goal, his thirty-second of the year, powered by Duncan Keith. Chicago took the lead with a Marian Hossa goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, fueled by Kris Versteeg and Keith. Columbus tied it again on a power play goal by Artem Anisimov, his twenty-first of the year, guided in by James Wisniewski and Jack Johnson. The Blackhawks won it late in the third period as Ben Smith scored his twelfth of the campaign with just four seconds left, coming off of Keith, who got a sock trick and Brent Seabrook. The final was 4-3, and the three stars were Keith, Smith, and Sharp.

East to New Jersey, where Devils bring in the Washington Capitals. Jaroslav Halak and Cory Schneider are the masked men. Washington started in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his forty-ninth of the season, via Mikhail Grabovski and Nicklas Backstrom. New Jersey tied it in the second period on a Tuomo Ruutu goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Eric Gelinas and Travis Zajac. The Devils took the lead in the third period on a Ryan Carter goal, his sixth of the campaign, helped along by Marek Zidlicky and Peter Harrold. This was good for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Carter, Schneider (24 for 25 in saves), and Ruutu.

Back west to Detroit, as the Red Wings host the Buffalo Sabres. Matt Hackett and Jimmy Howard draw the starts. Detroit struck first in the first period with a Darren Helm goal, his eleventh of the season, coming off of Luke Glendening and Danny DeKeyser. The Red Wings added on as Tomas Jurco goal, his seventh of the year, a power play goal powered by DeKeyser and Daniel Alfredsson. Detroit extended the lead as Alfredsson scored his eighteenth of the season, fueled by Jakub Kindl and Justin Abdelkader. Buffalo got on the board in the second period with a Jamie McBain power play goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Chad Ruhwedel and Ville Leino. The Sabres pulled closer in the third period with a Nicolas Deslauriers goal, via Johan Larsson. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars belonging to Alfredsson, DeKeyser, and Howard (21 for 23 in saves).

South to Florida, where the Panthers bring in the Calgary Flames. Joey MacDonald and Roberto Luongo are in the blue paint. Calgary got going in the second period on a Ken Agostino goal, fueled by Brad McGrattan and Chad Billins. Florida tied it on a Vincent Trocheck goal, his fourth of the season, a power play goal powered by Jimmy Hayes and Brandon Pirri. The Flames took the lead back as Michael Cammalleri netted his twenty-sixth of the year, thanks to Jiri Hudler. This was all they needed to win 2-1, with the three stars going to Agostino, MacDonald (34 for 35 in saves), Cammalleri.

Out west, the Phoenix Coyotes welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Ben Scrivens and Thomas Greiss receive the green light to start. Edmonton began in the first period with a Justin Schultz goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall. Phoenix tied it on a second period power play goal by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Keith Yandle and Mikkel Boedker. The Coyotes took the lead in the third period as Kyle Chipchura scored his fifth of the season, thanks to Martin Erat and Ekman-Larsson. The Oilers retied it on a Sam Gagner goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Eberle. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Gagner's lone tally sealed a 3-2 Edmonton win. The three stars were Gagner, Ekman-Larsson, and Eberle.

Finally, in Anaheim, the Ducks host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Jonas Hiller protect the nets. Nashville opened in the first period on a Colin Wilson goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Roman Josi. The Predators added on with another Wilson, his second of the game and tenth of the year, via Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Ellis. Nashville extended the lead as Mike Fisher scored his nineteenth of the season, thanks to Hornqvist and Matt Cullen. Anaheim got on the board with a Kyle Palmieri goal, his thirteenth of the year, passed from Pat Maroon and Mathieu Perreault. The Predators shot back with a Hornqvist goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Cullen and Fisher. Hiller was pulled for Frederik Andersen at this time. The Ducks answered in the second period with a Daniel Winnik goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Rickard Rakell. Nashville replied on another Fisher goal, his twentieth of the season, fueled by Shea Weber and Cullen, the latter getting a sock trick. This was it for the scoring, resulting in a 5-2 final. Hornqvist, Wilson, and Fisher were awarded the three stars, while Cullen gets an honorable mention.

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KHL WCF: Lev Prague VS. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Game 2

This is the second game of the Western Conference Final from Prague. In goal are Curtis Sanford for Yaroslavl and Petri Vehanen for Prague. Prague led off in the first period with a Nathan Oystrick power play goal, powered by Petr Vrana and Mikko Maenpaa. Lev added on in the second period with a Patrik Zackrisson goal, with a lone assist by Jiri Sekac. Yaroslavl got on the board in the third period with a power play goal by Yegor Averin, coming off of Sergei Plotnikov and Yegor Averin. They failed to tie it, losing 2-1, with the three stars going to Zackrisson, Vehanen (34 for 35 in saves), and Oystrick. Lev takes a commanding 2-0 series lead.

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NHL Day 185 2013-2014

Nine games on today as the playoff races enters single digits for days left. We begin in...

Philadelphia, as the Flyers host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Steve Mason are the goalies appearing against their former teams. Columbus dented the scoreboard in the second period with a James Wisniewski power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Mark Letestu and Fedor Tyutin. The Blue Jackets added on with a third period goal by Brandon Dubinsky, his sixteenth of the year, made possible by Cam Atkinson and Wisniewski. This held up for a 2-0 win, with the three stars going to Bobrovsky (37 save shutout), Wisniewski, and Dubinsky.

South to Raleigh, where the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Anton Khudobin guard the cages. Carolina got going in the second period with an Eric Staal goal, his nineteenth of the season, fueled by John-Michael Liles and Patrick Dwyer. The Hurricanes added on with a Justin Faulk power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by Liles and Chris Terry. Carolina extended the lead on a Liles power play goal, his second of the season, assisted by Terry and Faulk. Dallas got on the board with a Tyler Seguin goal, his thirty-fourth of the year, guided in by Valeri Nichushkin and Trevor Daley. The Hurricanes iced it at 4-1 in the third period with a Riley Nash goal, his tenth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Brett Bellemore. The three stars belonged to Liles, Khudobin (33 for 34 in saves), and Faulk, while Terry gets an honorable mention.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the Boston Bruins. Chad Johnson is mismatched with Jonathan Bernier in goal. Toronto began in the first period with a Paul Ranger goal, his fifth of the season, via Jerry D'Amigo and Morgan Rielly. Boston tied it on a Brad Marchand goal, his twenty-third of the year, with a lone helper by Patrice Bergeron. The Maple Leafs took the lead on a Tyler Bozak goal, his eighteenth of the season, passed from Phil Kessel and Cody Franson. Toronto added on in the second period as James van Riemsdyk scored his thirtieth of the year, thanks to Kessel. The Bruins shot back in the third period with a Milan Lucic goal, his twenty-second of the season, made possible by David Krejci and Matt Bartkowski. Bernier left with an injury about midway through the period, replaced by James Reimer in goal. Boston tied it on a Bergeron goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, assisted by Marchand and Kevan Miller. The Maple Leafs won with a power play goal in overtime from Nazem Kadri, his nineteenth of the campaign, powered by Franson and Jake Gardiner. The three stars were Franson, Marchand, and Kessel, while Bergeron gets an honorable mention.

Way to the south, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Ben Bishop are the masked men. Calgary opened in the first period with a Michael Cammalleri goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, going in unassisted. The Flames added on with a Kevin Westgarth goal, his fourth of the year, with a lone assist by Chris Breen. Tampa Bay got on the board in the second period with an Ondrej Palat goal, his twentieth of the season, passed from Matthew Carle and Ryan Callahan. Calgary shot back as Curtis Glencross put away his eleventh of the year in the third period, a power play goal powered by Cammalleri and Kris Russell. The Flames extended the lead with another Glencross goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the campaign, an unassisted empty net goal. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars being named as Cammalleri, Ramo (31 for 32 in saves), and Glencross.

Northwest to Chicago, where the Blackhawks welcome the Minnesota Wild. Ilya Bryzgalov and Corey Crawford are between the pipes. Minnesota was first to score in the first period with a Charlie Coyle goal, his eleventh of the season, via Jared Spurgeon and Ryan Suter. Chicago tied it in the second period with a Ben Smith goal, his eleventh of the year, made possible by Brandon Saad and Nick Leddy. The Blackhawks took the lead in the third period on a Bryan Bickell goal, his eleventh of the season, coming off of Jeremy Morin. The Wild retied it with an Erik Haula goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Justin Fontaine. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Marian Hossa had the only goal for a 3-2 Chicago win. The three stars went to Smith, Bickell, and Hossa.

Backtracking to St. Louis, where the Blues bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Nathan Lieuwen and Brian Elliott are the backups of varying quality in goal. St. Louis started in the second period with a Maxim Lapierre goal, his eighth of the season, guided in by Ryan Reaves. The Blues added on in the third period with a Brenden Morrow goal, his thirteenth of the year, courtesy of Vladimir Sobotka and Jaden Schwartz. Buffalo got on the board with a Cody Hodgson goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, coming on the power play from Tyler Ennis and Ville Leino. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Elliott (24 for 25 in saves), Morrow, and Lapierre.

Into Canada, where the Winnipeg Jets host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Ondrej Pavelec are set to start. Pittsburgh struck first in the first period on a Beau Bennett goal, his third of the season, guided in by Sidney Crosby and Jussi Jokinen. Winnipeg tied it on a second period Olli Jokinen goal, his seventeenth of the year, made possible by Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien. The Jets took the lead with a Zach Redmond goal, coming off of Evander Kane and Matt Halischuk. The Penguins retied it on a Craig Adams goal, his fifth of the season, via Lee Stempniak. Pittsburgh took the lead on a third period goal from Paul Martin, his third of the year, a power play goal powered by James Neal and Crosby. The Penguins added on with an unassisted goal by Brian Gibbons, his fifth of the campaign. The three stars were Crosby, Martin, and Adams.

Southwest to Denver, as the Colorado Avalanche welcome the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Semyon Varlamov protect the nets. New York led off in the first period with a John Moore goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Mats Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot. Colorado tied it on an Andre Benoit goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, assisted by John Mitchell and Ryan O'Reilly. The Rangers retook the lead on a Derek Stepan goal, his sixteenth of the season, via Kevin Klein and Dan Girardi. The Avalanche tied it again late in the third period with a Tyson Barrie goal, his eleventh of the year, made possible by Paul Stastny and Erik Johnson. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Barrie continued his heroics with the only tally for a 3-2 Colorado win. The three stars were given to Barrie, Lundqvist (35 for 37 in saves), and Benoit.

Finally, in California, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Martin Jones is mismatched with Antti Niemi in goal. Los Angeles began in the first period with a Jordan Nolan goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Jarret Stoll and Alec Martinez. San Jose tied it in the second period with a Brent Burns power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, powered by Dan Boyle and Joe Thornton. The Sharks took the lead with a Logan Couture goal, his twenty-first of the season, via Patrick Marleau and Tommy Wingels. This was all they needed to win 2-1, with the three stars awarded to Couture, Niemi (26 for 27 in saves), and Burns.

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KHL ECF: Metallurg Magnitogorsk VS. Salavat Yulaev Ufa Game 1

This first game of the Eastern Conference Final comes from Magnitogorsk. In goal are Andrei Vasilevsky for Ufa and Vasily Koshechkin for Metallurg. Ufa was first to score in the first period with a Denis Khlystov goal, fueled by Anton Slepyshev. Magnitogorsk tied it on a Francis Pare power play goal, powered by Yaroslav Khabarov. Salavat Yulev retook the lead when Teemu Hartikainen scored on a delayed penalty call, with the help of Dmitry Makarov. Metallurg tied it again as Bogdan Potekhin scored, thanks to Vladimir Malenkikh. Magnitogorsk gained the lead in the second period with a Sergei Mozyakin goal, via Danis Zaripov and Jan Kovar. This was good for a 3-2 win, with the three stars bring Mozyakin, Potekhin, and Pare. Metallurg establishes the early 1-0 series lead.

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NHL Day 184 2013-2014

Four games on tonight, beginning in...

Ottawa, as the Senators host the New York Islanders. Anders Nilsson and Craig Anderson draw the starts. New York led off in the first period with a Josh Bailey power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Ryan Strome and Matt Donovan. Ottawa tied it in the third period on a Milan Michalek goal, his seventeenth of the year, fueled by Chris Neil and Patrick Wiercioch. The Islanders took the lead back with a Casey Cizikas power play goal, his sixth of the campaign, passed from Bailey and Strome. This made it 2-1, a final, with Bailey, Nilsson (35 for 36 in saves), and Strome.

South to Detroit, as the Red Wings welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Jimmy Howard guard the cages. Boston opened in the first period with a Johnny Boychuk goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Chris Kelly and Brad Marchand. Detroit tied it in the second period on a Tomas Tatar goal, his nineteenth of the year, guided in by Danny DeKeyser and Jakub Kindl. The Bruins took the lead again in the third period on a Carl Soderberg power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, powered by Patrice Bergeron and Dougie Hamilton. The Red Wings retied it with a Tomas Jurco goal, his sixth of the year, made possible by Tatar. Detroit took the lead on a Gustav Nyquist goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, an unassisted goal. This made it 3-2, with Tatar, Howard (33 for 35 in saves), and Nyquist getting the three stars.

Out in Anaheim, the Ducks bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Viktor Fasth faces former teammate Frederik Andersen in goal. Edmonton got going in the second period on a Philip Larsen power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Martin Marincin and David Perron. The Oilers added on in the third period with a Jordan Eberle goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, assisted by Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Anaheim got on the board with a Corey Perry goal, his fortieth of the season, passed from Matt Beleskey and the goalie Andersen. The Ducks tied it on another Perry goal, his second of the game and forty-first of the year, made possible by Stephane Robidas. Anaheim won 3-2 with a Francois Beauchemin goal, his fourth of the campaign, coming off of Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. Perry, Beauchemin, and Andersen (30 for 32 in saves) receive the three stars.

Finally, in Los Angeles, the Kings host the Phoenix Coyotes. Thomas Greiss is mismatched with Jonathan Quick in goal. Los Angeles began in the first period with a Tanner Pearson goal, his third of the season, coming off of Jeff Carter. The Kings added on in the second period as Drew Doughty scored his tenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Alec Martinez and Anze Kopitar. Los Angeles extended the lead in the third period on a Carter goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Kings padded the lead with a Kopitar power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, with assists provided by Marian Gaborik and Martinez. This was it for the scoring, resulting in a 4-0 final, with the three stars being Quick (17 save shutout), Carter, and Kopitar, while Martinez gets an honorable mention.

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KHL WCF: Lev Prague VS. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Game 1

The first game of the Western Conference Final comes from Prague. In goal are Curtis Sanford for Yaroslavl and Petri Vehanen for Prague. Prague opened in the first period with an Ondrej Nemec power play goal, powered by Niko Kapanen and Marc-Andre Gragnani. Lev added on with a Jakub Klepis goal, made possible by Martin Sevc. Prague finished it at 3-0 in the third period on a Kapanen goal, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Vehanen (32 save shutout), Kapanen, Nemec. Lev leads the series 1-0.

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NHL Day 183 2013-2014

Eleven games on a busy night tonight, beginning in...

Buffalo, as the Sabres host the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider faces a lesser foe in Nathan Lieuwen in goal. New Jersey dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Dainius Zubrus goal, his eleventh of the season, passed from Michael Ryder and Damien Brunner. Buffalo tied it on a Tyler Ennis goal in the third period, his twentieth of the year, guided in by Ville Leino and Drew Stafford. The Sabres took the lead with an Ennis power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the season, powered by Cody Hodgson and Stafford. The Devils tied it on a Tuomo Ruutu power play goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Andy Greene and Marek Zidlicky. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Ennis was matched by Jacob Josefson, followed by Jaromir Jagr doing the same to Stafford before Leino gave Buffalo a 3-2 win. Ennis, Stafford, and Leino were named the three stars.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs welcome the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Jonathan Bernier are the goalies. Toronto got going in the second period on a Jay McClement goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Cody Franson. Calgary tied it with a Matt Stajan goal, his thirteenth of the year, via T.J. Brodie and Mark Giordano. The Maple Leafs took the lead back in the third period on an unassisted goal by Dave Bolland, his eighth of the season. Toronto added on with a David Clarkson goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Mason Raymond. The Flames got one back with a Kris Russell goal, his sixth of the campaign, guided in by Joe Colborne and Chris Butler. They failed to tie it, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Clarkson, Bolland, and McClement.

Back in the States, the New York Islanders bring in the Florida Panthers. Scott Clemmensen and Evgeni Nabokov are called on to start. Florida led off with a shorthanded and unassisted goal by Quinton Howden, his fourth of the season. New York tied it on a power play goal by Travis Hamonic, his third of the year, powered by Josh Bailey. The Islanders took the lead as Bailey scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Colin McDonald and Ryan Strome. New York added on with a Matt Martin goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by McDonald. The Islanders extended the lead in the third period with a Mike Halmo goal, coming off of Casey Cizikas. The Panthers got one back with a Brandon Pirri power play goal, his eleventh of the campaign, assisted by Brian Campbell and Dmitry Kulikov. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars being Bailey, McDonald, and Halmo.

West a bit to Pittsburgh, as the Penguins host the Carolina Hurricanes. Anton Khudobin and Marc-Andre Fleury protect the nets. Pittsburgh struck first in the first period with a Chris Kunitz goal, his thirty-fifth of the season, assisted by Lee Stempniak and Sidney Crosby. Carolina tied it with a Justin Faulk goal, his fourth of the year, going in unassisted. The Hurricanes took the lead in the second period with an Elias Lindholm power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Jeff Skinner and Andrei Loktionov. Carolina added on with another Lindholm goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, passed from Skinner. The Hurricanes extended the lead on an Eric Staal goal, his eighteenth of the campaign, via Loktionov. This was good enough for a 4-1 final, with the three stars going to Lindholm, Skinner, and Loktionov.

Over in DC, the Washington Capitals welcome the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Jaroslav Halak are the masked men. Dallas opened in the first period with a Tyler Seguin goal, his thirty-third of the season, via Jamie Benn. The Stars added on in the second period with a Ray Whitney goal, his ninth of the year, with the help of Alex Chiasson and Alex Goligoski. Dallas extended the lead as Dustin Jeffrey scored, thanks to Chiasson and Trevor Daley. Braden Holtby came on in relief halfway throuh the game. The Stars padded the lead in the third period on another Jeffrey goal, his second of the game, made possible by Whitney and Chiasson, the latter getting a sock trick. Dallas iced it at 5-0 with a shorthanded goal by Ryan Garbutt, his sixteenth of the campaign, set up by Vernon Fiddler. The three stars were Jeffrey, Lehtonen (35 save shutout), and Chiasson, while Whitney gets an honorable mention.

West again to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Sergei Bobrovsky are the Russian goalies. Columbus was first to score in the second period on a Cam Atkinson goal, his twentieth of the season, with a lone assist by Brandon Dubinsky. The Blue Jackets added on as Blake Comeau scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Nick Foligno and Fedor Tyutin. Colorado got on the board in the third period with a Brad Malone goal, his second of the season, assisted by Marc-Andre Cliche and Nick Holden. The Avalanche tied it with a Gabriel Landeskog goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, fueled by Nathan MacKinnon and Paul Stastny. Colorado won 3-2 in overtime as Landeskog scored his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the campaign, a power play goal powered by Tyson Barrie and MacKinnon. The three stars were Landeskog, MacKinnon, and Malone.

South to Tampa Bay, as the Lightning host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Ben Bishop guard the cages. Montreal started in the first period with a Brendan Gallagher goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Alex Galchenyuk and Mike Weaver. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period with a Ryan Callahan power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman. The Lightning took the lead on a shorthanded and unassisted Tyler Johnson goal, his twenty-third of the season. Tampa Bay iced it at 3-1 with an Alex Killorn power play goal into an empty net, his seventeenth of the year, set up by Palat and J.T. Brown.

Northwest to St. Louis, where the Blues welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Ray Emery and Ryan Miller are the veteran goalies. There was no scoring in 65 minutes of hockey, so the scoreless tie went to the shootout. Tallies by T.J. Oshie and Kevin Shattenkirk sealed a 1-0 victory for St. Louis. Miller (31 save shutout), Emery (28 save "shutout"), and Oshie.

Continuing along to Vancouver, as the Canucks bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Eddie Lack are in the creases. New York began in the first period with a Daniel Carcillo goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Derek Dorsett and Brian Boyle. The Rangers added on with a power play goal by Benoit Pouliot, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a Ryan Kesler goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, with a lone assist by Daniel Sedin. New York finished it with a shorthanded goal by Martin St. Louis, his thirtieth of the year, set up by Rick Nash. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars being St. Louis, Pouliot, and Lundqvist (34 for 35 in saves).

Way south to Phoenix, where the Coyotes host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Thomas Greiss are the underwhelming goalies. Winnipeg was first to score in the first period on an Andrew Ladd goal, his twenty-third of the season, fueled by Bryan Little. Phoenix tied it in the second period on a Zbynek Michalek goal, his second of the year, guided in by Antoine Vermette and Mikkel Boedker. The Jets won 2-1 with a shootout goal by Ladd. The three stars went to Ladd, Pavelec (28 for 29 in saves), and Greiss (21 for 22 in saves).

Finally, in San Jose, the Sharks host the Edmonton Oilers. Ben Scrivens is mismatched with Antti Niemi in goal. San Jose struck first in the first period with an Andrew Desjardins goal, his third of the season, passed from Tyler Kennedy and Jason Demers. Edmonton tied it on a Taylor Hall goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, a power play goal powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. The Sharks shot back with a Dan Boyle goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Joe Thornton. San Jose added on in the second period as Tommy Wingels scored his sixteenth of the year, thanks to Brad Stuart and Justin Braun. The Oilers answered in the second period on a Nugent-Hopkins goal, his seventeenth of the season, via Anton Belov and Hall. Edmonton tied it with an Eberle goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, assisted by Oscar Klefbom and Hall. The Oilers gained the lead in the third period on Nugent-Hopkins' second of the game and eighteenth of the season, made possible by Eberle and Hall, the latter getting a sock trick. The Sharks retied it with a Brent Burns goal, his twenty-second of the year, helped along by Thornton and Joe Pavelski. San Jose took the lead on a Patrick Marleau power play goal, his thirty-second of the campaign, with assists from Burns and Boyle. This held up for a 5-4 win, with the three stars being Burns, Hall, and Nugent-Hopkins, while Boyle, Eberle, and Thornton get the honorable mentions.

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NHL Day 182 2013-2014

Four games on a calm Monday, beginning in...

Ottawa, as the Senators host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Craig Anderson are the washed up goalies. Ottawa began in the first period with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his fourteenth of the season, via Patrick Wiercioch and Ales Hemsky. Carolina tied it on an unassisted goal by Jeff Skinner, his thirtieth of the year. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Hemsky scored the only goal for a 2-1 Senators win. Hemsky, Anderson (30 for 31 in saves), and Ward (28 for 29 in saves) were given the three stars.

Down in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Florida Panthers. Dan Ellis and Martin Brodeur are set to start. New Jersey started twelve seconds into the first period with a Travis Zajac goal, his fourteenth of the season, courtesy of Jaromir Jagr and Mark Fayne. The Devils added on with a Jagr goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, coming off of Ryane Clowe. New Jersey extended the lead on another Zajac goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the season, a power play goal made possible by Clowe and Eric Gelinas. Florida got on the board with a shorthanded goal from Dmitry Kulikov, his eighth of the year, set up by Nick Bjugstad. The Panthers pulled closer in the second period on a Brad Boyes goal, his twentieth of the season, fueled by Bjugstad. The Devils shot back with a Clowe goal, his seventh of the year, with assists by Zajac and Jagr. Florida answered as Brandon Pirri notched his tenth of the season, via Dylan Olsen and Vincent Trocheck. Brodeur was replaced by Schneider at this time. New Jersey answered in the third period on a shorthanded goal by Jacob Josefson, assisted by Ryan Carter. The Devils finished it at 6-3 with Zajac's sixteenth of the year to complete his hat trick, helped along by Tuomo Ruutu and Jagr, who got a sock trick. The three stars went to Zajac, Jagr, and Clowe, while Bjugstad gets an honorable mention.

Way out west, the Anaheim Ducks bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Frederik Andersen receive the starting nods. Winnipeg opened in the first period with a Jacob Trouba goal, his ninth of the season, via Michael Frolik and Bryan Little. The Jets added on with a Matt Halischuk goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Evander Kane and Eric O'Dell. Winnipeg extended the lead in the second period on a Blake Wheeler power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the campaign, powered by Dustin Byfuglien and the goalie Pavelec. The Jets padded the lead as Eric Tangradi put away his third of the season, with the help of Zach Redmond and Anthony Peluso. Anaheim got on the board with a Nick Bonino goal, his twentieth of the year, guided in by Jakob Silfverberg and Pat Maroon. The Ducks chipped closer in the third period with a power play goal by Ryan Getzlaf, his thirty-first of the campaign, assisted by Maroon and Mathieu Perreault. Anaheim pulled closer as Hampus Lindholm scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Daniel Winnik and Saku Koivu. The Ducks tied it with a Corey Perry goal, his thirty-ninth of the year, set up by Getzlaf and Kyle Palmieri. Anaheim completed the epic comeback in overtime, winning 5-4 with a Stephane Robidas goal, his fifth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars belonged to Robidas, Getzlaf, and Maroon.

Finally, up I-5, the Los Angeles Kings host the Minnesota Wild. Ilya Bryzgalov and Jonathan Quick are the veteran goalies. Los Angeles led off in the first period with an Alec Martinez goal, his eleventh of the season, passed from Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. Minnesota tied it in the second period on a Zach Parise power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, powered by Mikael Granlund and Mikko Koivu. The Kings shot back as Williams scored his nineteenth of the campaign, thanks to Marian Gaborik and Willie Mitchell. The Wild tied it again in the third period on a Matt Moulson goal, his twenty-second of the season, via Jason Pominville and Erik Haula. Minnesota gained the lead as Koivu notched his tenth of the year, with the help of Charlie Coyle and Parise. This was all they needed for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Parise, Koivu, and Williams.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

NHL Day 181 2013-2014

Six games on for today's hockey, beginning in...

Philadelphia, as the Flyers host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Steve Mason are in the blue paint. Philadelphia opened in the first period with a Vincent Lecavalier goal, his seventeenth of the season, assisted by Adam Hall. Boston tied it on a Andrej Meszaros goal, his seventh of the year, via Brad Marchand and Dougie Hamilton. The Flyers retook the lead on a Kimmo Timonen goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Jakub Voracek. The Bruins tied it in the second period with a Zdeno Chara power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by Jarome Iginla and David Krejci. Boston took the lead with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, passed from Reilly Smith and Matt Bartkowski. Philadelphia tied it on a Lecavalier goal in the third period, his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, made possible by Voracek and Timonen. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Bergeron was matched by Claude Giroux before Smith won it 4-3 for the Bruins. The three stars went to Lecavalier, Bergeron, and Smith, while Voracek and Timonen get the honorable mentions.

Up in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Robin Lehner are the mediocre goalies. Ottawa was first to score in the first period on a Milan Michalek goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Erik Karlsson and Ales Hemsky. Calgary tied it with a Matt Stajan goal, his twelfth of the year, made possible by Jiri Hudler and Curtis Glencross. The Senators retook the lead on another Michalek goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, assisted by Jason Spezza and Hemsky. The Flames tied it on a second period Paul Byron goal, his seventh of the year, guided in by Mikael Backlund and Michael Cammalleri. Calgary took the lead on Sean Monahan goal, his twentieth of the season, with assists provided by Hudler and Joe Colborne. Ottawa tied it on a Kyle Turris goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, helped along by Clarke MacArthur. The Senators took the lead in the third period on a Jared Cowen goal, his sixth of the season, via Mika Zibanejad. Ottawa added on with a MacArthur goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, with a lone helper from Turris. The Senators extended the lead as Turris scored his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the campaign into the empty net, going in unassisted. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 6-3, and the three stars went to Turris, Michalek, and MacArthur, while Hemsky and Hudler get the honorable mentions.

Down in Detroit, the Red Wings bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop faces a lesser foe in Jonas Gustavsson in goal. Tampa Bay began in the first period with a Valtteri Filppula goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, an unassisted goal. Detroit tied it on a Joakim Andersson goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Darren Helm and Daniel Alfredsson. The Red Wings took the lead on a Gustav Nyquist goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, passed from David Legwand. Detroit added on as Legwand scored his thirteenth of the year in the second period, a power play goal powered by Johan Franzen and Niklas Kronwall. The Lightning pulled back in the third period with a Sami Salo goal, his fourth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Nikita Kucherov. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Legwand, Nyquist, and Gustavsson (26 for 28 in saves).

Back east a little, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Marc-Andre Fleury tend the twines. Pittsburgh struck first in the first period with a James Neal goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by Jussi Jokinen and Robert Bortuzzo. The Penguins added on as Lee Stempniak scored his eleventh of the year, thanks to Matt Niskanen and Chris Kunitz. Chicago got on the board in the second period with a Sheldon Brookbank goal, his second of the season, fueled by Patrick Sharp and Nick Leddy. Pittsburgh answered in the third period on a Sidney Crosby goal, his thirty-fifth of the year, with a lone assist by Kunitz. The Penguins iced it at 4-1 with a Crosby empty net goal, his second of the game and thirty-sixth of the campaign, set up by Olli Maatta and Beau Bennett. The three stars were Fleury (25 for 26 in saves), Crosby, and Kunitz.

Down in Nashville, the Predators welcome the Washington Capitals. Jaroslav Halak and Carter Hutton are set to start. Washington started in the first period with a Troy Brouwer goal, his twenty-second of the season, assisted by Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom. Nashville tied it on a Patric Hornqvist goal, his sixteenth of the year, via Shea Weber and Mike Fisher. The Predators took the lead with an unassisted goal by Hornqvist, his second of the game and seventeenth of the season. The Capitals retied it in the second period on a Brouwer power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-third of the year, powered by Marcus Johansson and Backstrom. Nashville took the lead back in the third period on a Weber goal, his twenty-first of the season, via Fisher and Matt Cullen. Washington evened the score again with a Backstrom power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by John Carlson. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Craig Smith's goal gave the Predators a 4-3 win. Hornqvist, Weber, and Brouwer get the three stars, while Backstrom and Fisher are given the honorable mentions.

Finally, in Edmonton, the Oilers bring in the New York Rangers. Cam Talbot and Ben Scrivens are the young goalies. New York led off in the first period with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his sixteenth of the season, via Anton Stralman and Benoit Pouliot. The Rangers added on in the second period with a Derick Brassard power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, powered by Raphael Diaz and Zuccarello. New York extended the lead with a Rick Nash goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Derek Stepan. The Rangers padded the lead on a shorthanded Nash goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the season, set up by Stepan. New York struck again in the third period on a Zuccarello shorthanded goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, thanks to Stepan, who got a sock trick, and Marc Staal. This proved enough for a 5-0 win, with the three stars going to Zuccarello, Talbot (26 save shutout), and Nash, while Stepan gets an honorable mention.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.