KHL September 27th, 2014

Eleven games on a busy day today, beginning with...

Avangard Omsk hosting the Sochi Leopards. Tomas Popperle and Konstantin Barulin are set to start. Omsk led off in the first period with an Ivan Nepryayev goal, with a lone assist by Nikolai Lemtyugov. Avangard added on as Andrei Ivanov scored, thanks to Alexander Popov and Tom Wandell. Omsk extended the lead with a shorthanded and unassisted Sergei Kalinin goal. Avangard padded the lead on an unassisted Denis Parshin goal in the second period. Omsk kept going with a power play goal by Sergei Shirokov, powered by Alexander Perezhogin. Ilya Krikunov got Sochi on the board with a goal, coming off of Nikita Shchitov and Igor Ignatushkin. Avangard shot back on a Popov shorthanded goal, set up by Wandell. Omsk struck again in the third period as Shirokov scored again, with the help of Parshin and Denis Kulyash. Avangard finished it at 8-1 with a Kirill Semyonov goal, going in unassisted. The three stars went to Shirokov, Parshin, and Popov, while Wandell gets an honorable mention.

Down in Kazakhstan, Barys Astana welcomes Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Yeryomenko and Jan Laco are in the creases. Moscow dented the scoreboard in the second period on an unassisted Martins Karsums goal. Dynamo added on with a Kaspars Daugavins goal, fueled by Konstantin Gorovikov and Maxim Pestushko. Astana got on the board with a Konstantin Pushkaryov goal, guided in by Nikita Tserenok and Dmitry Upper. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Yeryomenko (35 for 36 in saves), Daugavins, and Karsums.

Back in Russia, we have Metallurg Magnitogorsk bringing in Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Ilya Sorokin and Vasily Koshechkin are the masked men. Magnitogorsk was first to score in the first period on a Bogdan Potekhin goal, via Sergei Tereshchenko. Magnitogorsk added on as Potekhin scored an unassisted goal in the second period. Magnitogorsk extended the lead with a Rafael Batyrshin power play goal in the second period, powered by Jan Kovar and Alexei Bereglazov. Novokuznetsk got on the board with a Mikhail Plotnikov goal, assisted by Cade Fairchild and Ryan Stoa. Magnitogorsk shot back in the third period with a Kovar power play goal, courtesy of Danis Zaripov and Batyrshin. This was good for a 4-1 win, with the three stars going to Potekhin, Kovar, and Batyrshin.

Up to Yekaterinburg, where Avtomobilist hosts Amur Khabarovsk. Sergei Borisov and Jakub Kovar are between the pipes. Yekaterinburg struck first in the first period on a Gilbert Brule goal, with a lone helper by Jakub Petruzalek. Avtomobilist added on in the second period as Alexander Bumagin scored, thanks to Dmitry Megalinsky. Khabarovsk got on the board with a Mikhail Zheleznov goal, assisted by Tommi Taimi and Evgeny Orlov. Yekaterinburg answered in the third period with another Brule goal, helped along by Alexei Simakov and Petruzalek. This made it a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Brule, Kovar (24 for 25 in saves), and Petruzalek.

Out in Riga, Dinamo welcomes Admiral Vladivostok. Ilya Proskuryakov and Jakub Sedlacek receive the starting nods. Riga began in the first period on a Oskars Cibulskis goal, fueled by Krisjanis Rdlihs and Mikelis Redlihs on the power play. Vladivostok tied it in the second period on an Ilya Zubov goal, courtesy of Alexei Ugarov. Dinamo took the lead back on a power play goal by Mikelis Redlihs, powered by Linus Videll and Krisjanis Redlihs. Riga added on in the third period with a Miks Indrasis goal, with a lone assist by Gints Meija. Admiral shot back as Logan Pyett scored, thanks to Niclas Bergfors and Alexander Gorshkov. Dinamo iced it at 4-2 with a Marcel Hossa empty net goal, set up by Pyotr Schastlivy.

Back to Russia again, as CSKA Moscow brings in Dinamo Minsk. Dmitry Milchakov and Kevin Lalande draw the starts. Moscow opened in the first period with an Alexander Radulov goal, fueled by Jan Mursak. CSKA added on in the second period with a Stephane Da Costa power play goal, powered by Radulov and Nikita Zaitsev. This held up for a 2-0 final, with the three stars belonging to Radulov, Lalande (15 save shutout), and Da Costa.

East to Nizhny Novgorod, where Torpedo hosts Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Ville Kolppanen and Ivan Kasutin man the nets. Nizhny Novgorod got going in the second period with an unassisted power play goal by Sakari Salminen. Torpedo added on with a power play goal by Wojtek Wolski, powered by Juuso Hietanen and Salminen. Nizhnekamsk got on the board with a Maxim Trunyov power play goal, coming off of Dmitry Kosmachyov and Pavel Kulikov. Nizhny Novgorod answered with a power play goal by Hietanen, courtesy of Wolski and Alexander Makarov. Neftekhimik replied with a Gleb Klimenko power play goal, assisted by Josh Hennessy and Nikolai Belov. Nizhnekamsk tied it on a third period Dan Sexton goal, fueled by Tim Stapleton and Alexander Yevseyenkov. Torpedo took the lead back on a Vladimir Galuzin goal, going in unassisted. Nizhny Novgorod extended the lead as Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev scored a power play goal, thanks to Galuzin and Sergei Demagin. Neftekhimik clawed back with a Yevseyenkov goal, guided in by Stapleton and Yegor Milovzorov. Nizhnekamsk tied it again with a Maxim Rybin goal, passed from Sexton and Yevseyenkov. Neftekhimik completed the rally with an overtime goal by Pyotr Khokryakov, going in unassisted for the 6-5 win. The three stars went to Yevseyenkov, Hietanen, and Sexton, while Wolski, Salminen, Stapleton, and Galuzin all get honorable mentions.

Over to Cherepovets, where Severstal welcomes Lada Togliatti. Ilya Ezhov and Jakub Stepanek have the green light to start. Cherepovets started in the first period with a Sergei Monakhov power play goal, powered by Evgeny Mons and Pavel Chernov. Severstal added on as Nikolai Kazakovtsev scored, thanks to Sergei Kuptsov. Cherepovets extended the lead as Mons scored, with the help of Chernov and Monakhov. Togliatti got on the board with a Marat Fakhrutdinov goal, with a lone assist by Peter Podhradsky. Lada pulled closer with a second period Stanislav Bocharov goal, fueled by Martin Zatovic and Andrei Nikitenko. Severstal shot back in the third period on a David Ullstrom power play goal, assisted by Anatoly Nikontsev. Togliatti got one back on an unassisted Fakhrutdinov goal. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Monakhov, Mons, and Fakhrutdinov, while Chernov gets an honorable mention.

Into St. Petersburg, where SKA brings in Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Alexander Salak guard the cages. St. Petersburg led off in the first period with a Vadim Shipachyov goal, via Artemy Panarin and Ilya Kovalchuk on the power play. Podolsk tied it in the second period on a Vyacheslav Solodukhin goal, assisted by Anton Korolyov. SKA took the lead back with an Andrei Kuteikin power play goal, powered by Evgeny Dadonov and Shipachyov. St. Petersburg added on in the third period with a Jimmie Ericsson goal, fueled by Kovalchuk and Dmitry Kalinin. SKA extended the lead with a Kalinin goal, guided in by Dadonov and Tony Martensson. St. Petersburg padded the lead on a Dadonov power play goal, helped along by Panarin and Shipachyov. SKA kept going on another Dadonov goal, with a lone helper from Viktor Tikhonov. St. Petersburg continued as Dadonov completed his natural hat trick, with the help of Panarin and Shipachyov, both of whom got sock tricks. The final stood at 7-1, with the three stars being Dadonov, Panarin, and Shipachyov, while Kovalchuk, and Kalinin got the honorable mentions.

Backtracking to Kazan, as Ak Bars hosts Sibir Novosibirsk. Mikko Koskinen and Emil Garipov are in the blue paint. Kazan began in the first period on an Alexander Burmistrov power play goal, powered by Shaun Heshka. Ak Bars added on with an Evgeny Bodrov goal, fueled by Alexander Svitov. Kazan extended the lead as Igor Mirnov scored, thanks to Konstantin Korneyev and Justin Azevedo. Ak Bars padded the lead on a Svitov goal, coming off of Bodrov and Yakov Rylov. Kazan struck again in the third period with another Bodrov goal, guided in by Dmitry Obukhov and Svitov. Novosibirsk got on the board with an Andreas Thuresson goal, courtesy of Jonas Enlund. Sibir pulled closer with a Vladimir Butuzov goal, assisted by Viktor Bobrov. This only made it a 5-2 final, with the three stars going to Bodrov, Svitov, and Garipov (34 for 36 in saves).

Finally, we end in Finland, as Jokerit Helsinki hosts Atlant Mytishchi. Atte Engren is mismatched with Riku Helenius in goal. Mytishchi struck first in the first period on a shorthanded Sergei Shmelyov goal, set up by Matthew Gilroy. Helsinki tied it with a Niko Kapanen power play goal, powered by Ryan Gunderson and Juhamatti Aaltonen. Jokerit took the lead on a Kurtis McLean goal, fueled by Jere Sallinen. Helsinki added on in the second period as Petr Koukal scored, thanks to Johan Harju and Ossi Vaananen. Jokerit extended the lead on a Steve Moses goal, assisted by Koukal and Tommi Huhtala. Atlant got one back on a Vitaly Novopashin goal, passed from Konstantin Koltsov. There was no scoring in the third period, for a 4-2 final score. The three stars went to Koukal, Moses, and Shmelyov.

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KHL September 26th, 2014

Three games on for today, beginning in...

Ufa, as Salavat Yulaev hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Vitalys Kolesnik and Koval are the goalies. Ufa got going in the second period with a Dmitry Makarov goal, fueled by Ivan Lekomtsev and Teemu Hartikainen. Salavat Yulaev added on with a Denis Tolpeko goal, courtesy of Ivan Vishnevsky and Ilkka Heikkinen on the power play. Ufa extended the lead on an unassisted goal by Anton Slepyshev. Salavat Yulaev padded the lead in the third period with an Alexei Kaigorodov goal, assisted by Kirill Koltsov and Evgeny Skachkov. Yaroslavl got on the board as Jonas Holos scored, thanks to Emil Galimov and Vladislav Kartayev. Ufa shot back with an Antti Pihlstrom goal, made possible by Koltsov and Kaigorodov on the power play. Lokomotiv got one back on a Sergei Konkov goal, with a lone assist by Alexei Kruchinin. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars being Kaigorodov, Slepyshev, and Koltsov.

Over in Chelyabinsk, Traktor welcomes Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Mikhail Biryukov and Vasily Demchenko are in the blue paint. Chelyabinsk started in the first period with a Stanislav Chistov goal, guided in by Andrei Popov and Anton Glinkin. Traktor added on with a power play goal by Konstantin Panov, powered by Deron Quint and Martin Ruzicka. Chelyabinsk extended the lead in the second period on a Vyacheslav Osnovin goal, passed from Artyom Penkovsky. Khanty-Mansiysk got on the board in the third period with a Ben Maxwell goal, helped along by Toni Rajala. Yugra pulled closer with a Philip Larsen goal, with a lone helper from Rajala. Traktor iced it at 4-2 with a Popov goal, set up by Ruzicka. The three stars were Popov, Ruzicka, and Rajala.

Finally, out in Croatia, Medvescak Zagreb brings in Slovan Bratislava. Jaroslav Janus and Barry Brust are the masked men. Bratislava opened with a first period power play goal by Ladislav Nagy, going in unassisted. Zagreb tied it in the third period with a Bill Thomas power play goal, powered by Pascal Pelletier and Martin St. Pierre. Slovan took the lead back as Nagy scored again, thanks to Ziga Jeglic and Michal Sersen on the power play. Bratislava iced it at 3-1 as Nagy deposited an empty net goal set up by Michal Vondrka. The three stars were Nagy, Janus (20 for 21 in saves), and Thomas.

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KHL September 25th, 2014

Ten games on today, including some real whoppers out there. We begin with...

Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg hosting Sibir Novosibirsk. Mikko Koskinen and Jakub Kovar are the goalies. Novosibirsk started in the first period with an Artyom Karavayev goal, courtesy of Andreas Thuresson. Yekaterinburg tied it on a power play goal by Alexander Bumagin, powered by Dmitry Megalinsky and Anton Krysanov. Avtomobilist took the lead with an Alexei Simakov goal, fueled by Megalinsky and Filipp Metlyuk. Sibir tied it in the second period as Konstantin Alexeyev scored, thanks to Oleg Gubin. Novosibirsk won 3-2 in overtime with a Patrik Hersley goal, with a lone assist by Thuresson. The three stars went to Hersley, Thuresson, and Megalinsky.

Down in Magnitogorsk, Metallurg welcomes Amur Khabarovsk. Sergei Borisov and Vasily Koshechkin get the starting nods. Khabarovsk led off in the first period with an Evgeny Orlov goal, courtesy of Mikhail Fisenko. Amur added on as Orlov scored again, with the help of Tommi Taimi on the power play. Alexander Pechursky relieved Koshechkin for the second period. Magnitogorsk got on the board in the second period with a Danis Zaripov goal, guided in by Viktor Antipin and Jan Kovar. Metallurg tied it on an Oskar Osala goal, helped along by Mikhail Yunkov. Magnitogorsk pulled ahead as Zaripov scored an unassisted goal. Metallurg extended their lead with a Denis Platonov goal, coming off of Zaripov. Magnitogorsk padded the lead when Francis Pare scored a power play goal, powered by Alexei Bereglazov. Metallurg kept going in the third period with another Pare goal, made possible by Chris Lee and Rafael Batyrshin. Magnitogorsk struck again when Zaripov finished his hat trick, with a lone helper from Kovar. Borisov was pulled in favor of Sergei Bolshakov at this time. The final stood at 7-2, with the three stars being Zaripov, Pare, and Orlov, while Kovar gets an honorable mention.

Southwest to Sochi, where the Leopards bring in Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Yeryomenko and Andrei Gavrilov are in the blue paint. Moscow struck first in the first with a power play goal by Yury Babenko, assisted by Alexei Tereshchenko and Nikolai Zherdev. This was it for the scoring, resulting in a 1-0 final. The three stars belonged to Yeryomenko (29 save shutout), Babenko, and Gavrilov (20 for 21 in saves).

Speaking of Moscow, CSKA hosts Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Alexander Sudnitsin and Stanislav Galimov are the masked men. Moscow began with a power play goal by Chad Billins, powered by Alexander Radulov and Bogdan Kiselevich. Nizhnekamsk tied it on a Josh Hennessy goal, with a lone helper by Dan Sexton. CSKA took the lead back with a Nikita Zaitsev power play goal, via Stephane Da Costa and Radulov. Moscow added on as Da Costa scored a power play goal, courtesy of Radulov, who got a sock trick, and Igor Grigorenko. Neftekhimik got one back with a Sexton power play goal, made possible by Alexander Yevseyenkov. CSKA shot back on a Da Costa goal, coming off of Grigorenko and Radulov. Moscow extended their lead on an Andrei Stas goal in the second period, and Radulov had another apple on the play. CSKA padded the lead in the third period on an Evgeny Artyukhin goal, helped along by Nikolai Prokhorkin and Jan Mursak. Nizhnekamsk clawed back with a Pyotr Khokhryakov goal, passed from Yaroslav Alshevsky. This was as close as it got, with the final being 6-3. Radulov, Da Costa, and Grigorenko get the three stars, while Sexton gets an honorable mention.

Backtracking to Nizhny Novgorod, as Torpedo welcomes Lada Togliatti. Ilya Ezhov and Ivan Kasutin are between the pipes. Nizhny Novgorod was first to score in the first period with a Wojtek Wolski power play goal, powered by Juuso Hietanen and Sakari Salminen. Torpedo added on with a Salminen power play goal, fueled by Alexander Makarov. Nizhny Novgorod iced it at 3-0 with a Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev empty net goal, set up by Maxim Osipov. The three stars were given to Salminen, Wolski, and Kasutin (15 save shutout).

A little over to Cherepovets, as Severstal brings in Dinamo Minsk. Dmitry Milchakov and Jakub Stepanek draw the starts. Cherepovets got going in the second period with a Sergei Monakhov power play goal, powered by Andrei Shefer and David Ullstrom. Minsk tied it on a Jonathan Cheechoo power play goal, assisted by Ryan Vesce and Charles Linglet. Dinamo took the lead as Linglet scored a power play goal, thanks to Matt Ellison and Vesce. Minsk iced it at 3-1 with a third period Ellison shorthanded and empty net goal, going in unassisted. The three stars were handed to Linglet, Vesce, and Ellison.

South to Kazan, as Ak Bars hosts Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Ilya Sorokin and Anders Nilsson are protecting the nets. Kazan opened in the first period with a Kirill Petrov goal, courtesy of Evgeny Medvedev and Oscar Moller. Novokuznetsk tied it with a Ryan Stoa power play goal, powered by Cade Fairchild and Mikhail Plotnikov. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Metallurg won 2-1 with a lone tally by Alexander Komaristy. The three stars went to Sorokin (32 for 33 in saves), Nilsson (31 for 32 in saves), and Komaristy.

North to Finland, where Jokerit Helsinki welcomes Admiral Vladivostok. Ari Ahonen and Riku Helenius guard the cages. Vladivostok dented the scoreboard in the first period with an Andrei Sigaryov goal, fueled by Konstantin Sokolov. Helsinki tied it on a Juhamatti Aaltonen goal, courtesy of Ryan Gunderson and Niko Kapanen. Jokerit took the lead in the second period on a Jere Karalahti goal, passed from Daine Todd and Riku Hahl on the power play. Helsinki added on with a Steve Moses goal, assisted by Petr Koukal and Tommi Huhtala. Admiral pulled back with a Niclas Bergfors power play goal, powered by Logan Pyett and Denis Osipov. Vladivostok tied it on a Vyacheslav Ushenin goal, made possible by Alexander Gorshkov and Denis Kuzmin. Jokerit regained the lead on an unassisted Moses goal. Helsinki extended their lead with a Huhtala goal, set up by Koukal and Jere Sallinen on the power play. Jokerit padded the lead as Niklas Hagman scored, thanks to Aaltonen and Kurtis McLean. Helsinki finished it at 7-3 with a Linus Omark goal, guided in by Karalahti and Todd on the power play. The three stars were handed to Karalahti, Aaltonen, and Todd, while Huhtala and Koukal get the honorable mentions.

Back in Russia, SKA St. Petersburg brings in Atlant Mytishchi. Dmitry Shikin is mismatched with Alexander Salak in goal. St. Petersburg led off with an Artemy Panarin power play goal, powered by Ilya Kovalchuk and Vadim Shipachyov. SKA added on as Alexei Ponikarovsky scored a goal, helped along by Viktor Tikhonov and Kovalchuk. Mytishchi got on the board with an Artyom Chernov goal, passed from Andreas Engqvist and Sergei Shmelyov on the power play. Atlant tied it with an Artyom Voronin goal, assisted by Mikhail Glukhov. St. Petersburg took the lead back with a Roman Cervenka goal, fueled by Tony Martensson. SKA extended the lead on a Martensson goal, guided in by Maxim Chudinov and Cervenka. Mytishchi replied with an Engqvist goal, coming off of Yaroslav Dyblenko and Shmelyov on the power play. St. Petersburg countered with a Panarin goal, via Shipachyov and Chudinov. Atlant pulled back on a Nikita Soshnikov unassisted goal in the third period. The final stood from here at 5-4. The three stars were Panarin, Martensson, and Cervenka, while Kovalchuk, Shipachyov, Engqvist, Shmelyov, and Chudinov all get honorable mentions.

Finally, Dinamo Riga hosts Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Jakub Sedlacek tend the twines. They did this very well for sixty-five minutes, keeping the game scoreless. In the shootout, Mario Kempe was the only one to score, giving Vityaz the 1-0 win. The three stars were Sateri (33 save shutout), Sedlacek (26 save "shutout"), and Kempe.

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MLS Wednesday September 24, 2014

Just one game tonight, as FC Dallas hosts the Seattle Sounders FC. Stefan Frei and Raul Fernandez are the keepers. Dallas began in the eighth minute on a David Texeira goal, courtesy of Andres Escobar. Dallas took a yellow card for a Michel foul in the forty-fourth minute. Seattle tied it on a fifty-eighth minute goal by Lamar Neagle, via Clint Dempsey. Dallas took the lead back in the seventy-eighth minute as Texeira scored again, thanks to Escobar. Texeira also got a yellow card for excessive celebration for this goal. Dallas iced it at 3-1 with an eighty-eighth minute Blas Perez goal, helped along by Michel. The man of the match was Texeira for his brace.

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KHL September 24th, 2014

Just two games today, beginning in...

Astana, as Barys hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Curtis Sanford and Jan Laco protect the nets. Astana began in the first period with an Evgeny Rymarev goal, via Konstantin Rudenko and Nik Antropov on the power play. Yaroslavl tied on a second period power play goal by Yegor Averin, powered by Jiri Novotny and Geoff Platt. Lokomotiv took the lead as Novotny scored, with a lone assist by Martin Thornberg. Barys tied it on a Nigel Dawes power play goal, assisted by Mike Lundin and Brandon Bochenski. Yaroslavl took the lead back in the third period with a Sergei Konkov goal, coming off of Yegor Yakovlev and Emil Galimov on the power play. Astana tied it with a Bochenski goal, courtesy of Lundin and Roman Savchenko. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Lokomotiv won 4-3 with a lone tally by Novotny. The three stars were given to Novotny, Bochenski, and Lundin.

The other game came from Slovakia, as Slovan Bratislava hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Barry Brust and Johan Backlund are in the blue paint. Bratislava got going in the second period with a power play goal by Ladislav Nagy, powered by Michal Vondrka and Vaclav Nedorost. Zagreb tied it as Pascal Pelletier scored, thanks to Brandon Segal. Medvescak took the lead with a Segal goal, assisted by Pelletier and Martin St. Pierre on the power play. Zagreb added on with a Segal goal in the third period, again courtesy of Pelletier and St. Pierre. Medvescak made it 4-1 with a Patrick Bjorkstrand shorthanded goal, set up by Andrew Murray. The three stars went to Segal, Pelletier, and St. Pierre.

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KHL September 23rd, 2014

Eleven games on for the heaviest slate in about a week. We begin with...

Avtomobilist Yekaterinbrug hosting Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Ilya Sorokin and Jakub Kovar are in the blue paint. Novokuznetsk started in the first period with a Mikhail Plotnikov goal, assisted by Alexei Kosourov and Ryan Stoa. Metallurg added on with a Denis Kurepanov goal, passed from Tomas Rachunek. Novokuznetsk extended the lead on a power play goal by Dmitry Maltsev, powered by Matt Lashoff and Vladimir Malinovsky. Yekaterinburg got on the board with a third period power play goal by Alexei Simakov, fueled by Tobias Viklund and Sami Lepisto. Avtomobilist pulled closer on a power play goal from Gilbert Brule, with a lone assist by Jakub Petruzalek. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Maltsev, Kurepanov, and Plotnikov.

Over to Ufa, where Salavat Yulaev welcomes Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Lazushin and Vladimir Sokhatsky. Ufa led off in the first period with a Dmitry Makarov goal, guided in by Dmitry Semin and Alexander Kutuzov. Salavat Yulaev added on as Alexei Glukhov scored, thanks to Alexander Stepanov and Anton Slepyshev. Alexander Yeryomenko replaced Lazushin at the start of the second period. Moscow got on the board in the second period with a Dmitry Tereshchenko goal, assisted by Roman Derlyuk and Gleb Koryagin. Dynamo tied it with a shorthanded Tereshchenko goal, set up by Yury Babenko. Moscow took the lead on a Konstantin Gorovikov goal, fueled by Kaspars Daugavins and Maxim Pestushko. Vitaly Koval relieved Sokhatsky in the third period. Dynamo iced it at 4-2 in the third period with a Konstantin Volkov empty net goal, coming off of Janne Jalasvaara. The three stars were Tereshchenko, Gorovikov, and Babenko.

Down in Magnitogorsk, Metallurg brings in Sibir Novosibirsk. Mikko Koskinen and Vasily Koshechkin tend the twines. Magnitogorsk struck first in the first period on a Jan Kovar power play goal, powered by Chris Lee and Danis Zaripov. Novosibirsk tied it in the second period as Vladimir Butuzov scored, with the help of Viktor Bobrov and Artyom Voroshilo. Metallurg took the lead back in the third period as Kovar scored his second of the game, via Zaripov and Oskar Osala. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Kovar, Koshechkin (35 for 36 in saves), and Zaripov.

Moving along to Khanty-Mansiysk, as Yugra hosts Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vladislav Fokin and Mikhail Biryukov draw the starts. Khanty-Mansiysk was first to score in the first period on an Ivan Yatsenko goal, coming off of Andrei Chibisov and Nikita Filatov. Yugra added on with an Artyom Bulyansky goal, courtesy of Igor Magogin and Vitaly Sitnikov. Vasily Demchenko relieved Fokin at this time. Chelyabinsk got on the board with an Anton Glinkin goal, made possible by Vitaly Atyushov and Andrei Popov. Khanty-Mansiysk shot back in the second period with a Lukas Kaspar goal, guided in by Grigory Zheldakov. Traktor pulled back in the third period as Danil Gubarev scored, thanks to Andrei Kostitsyn and Maxim Kondratyev. Chelyabinsk tied it on a Martin Ruzicka goal, assisted by Jan Bulis. Traktor won 4-3 in the shootout with a lone tally by Kostitsyn. The three stars belonged to Kostitsyn, Ruzicka, and Gubarev.

West a little to Nizhny Novgorod, as Torpedo welcomes Dinamo Minsk. Dmitry Milchakov and Ivan Kasutin are between the pipes. Minsk got going in the second period with a Dmitry Meleshko goal, assisted by Ilya Shinkevich and Alexander Kulakov. Nizhny Novgorod tied it on a Petteri Nokelainen goal, passed from Alexander Makarov and Dmitry Kazionov. Dinamo won it 2-1 in overtime as Meleshko scored again, with a lone assist by Kulakov. The three stars were awarded to Meleshko, Milchakov (24 for 25 in saves), and Kulakov.

Into Moscow, as CSKA brings in Lada Togliatti. Ilya Ezhov and Stanislav Galimov protect the nets. Moscow dented the scoreboard in the second period on an Ivan Telegin goal, coming off of Georgy Misharin on the power play. CSKA added on in the third period with a Nikolai Prokhorkin goal, guided in by Evgeny Artyukhin and Jan Mursak. Moscow extended the lead as Alexander Radulov scored, thanks to Stephane Da Costa and Bogdan Kiselevich. This produced the 3-0 final, with the three stars going to Telegin, Prokhorkin, and Radulov.

Backtracking to Cherepovets, where Severstal hosts Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Alexander Sudnitsin and Jakub Stepanek are the masked men. Nizhnekamsk began in the first period with an Andrei Stepanov goal, passed from Maxim Trunyov and Mikhail Zhukov. Cherepovets tied it on a penalty shot goal by Ignat Zemchenko, which he received after Sudnitsin threw his stick. Neftekhimik took the lead back on a Pyotr Khokhryakov goal, courtesy of Yaroslav Alshevsky. Severstal tied it in the third period with a Dmitry Kagarlitsky goal, fueled by Adam Almqvist and Pavel Chernov. Neftekhimik took the game 3-2 with a lone tally by Trunyov in the shootout. The three stars were Trunyov, Khokhryakov, and Stepanov.

Down in Kazan, Ak Bars welcomes Amur Khabarovsk. Sergei Borisov and Emil Garipov receive the starting nods. Khabarovsk opened with a first period goal by Marcel Hascak, courtesy of Jesse Niinimaki on the power play. Kazan tied it on a Mikhail Varnakov goal, passed from Janne Pesonen and Fyodor Malykhin. Ak Bars took the lead in the second period a power play goal by Justin Azevedo, powered by Sergei Kostitsyn and Ilya Nikulin. Kazan added on with another Varnakov goal, made possible by Malykhin and Pesonen. This was it for the scoring, resulting in a 3-1 final, and the three stars went to Varnakov, Pesonen, and Malykhin.

Into Finland, as Jokerit Helsinki brings in Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Henrik Karlsson man the nets. Podolsk struck first in the first period with an Anton Korolyov power play goal, powered by Vyacheslav Solodukhin and Yury Koksharov. Helsinki tied it with a Niklas Hagman goal, assisted by Juhamatti Aaltonen and Jere Karalahti. Jokerit took the lead with an Aaltonen power play goal, made possible by Ryan Gunderson and Hagman. Vityaz tied it in the second period as Mario Kempe scored a power play goal, pushed through by Alexei Grishin and Denis Grebeshkov. Podolsk took the lead on a power play goal by Roman Horak, via Grebeshkov and Kempe. Helsinki tied it in the third period on a Hagman goal, fueled by Niko Kapanen and Atte Ohtamaa. Vityaz took the lead back with a Maxim Mamin goal, set up by Nikita Shatsky and Alexei Makeyev. This was good for a 4-3 win, with the three stars being Kempe, Hagman, and Aaltonen, while Grebeshkov gets an honorable mention.

Back in Russia, SKA St. Petersburg welcomes Admiral Vladivostok. Ivan Nalimov opposes former Admiral Evgeny Ivannikov in goal. Vladivostok was first to score in the first period on a Konstantin Sokolov goal, passed from Niclas Bergfors. Admiral added on in the second period with an unassisted goal by Richard Gynge. Vladivostok extended the lead with a Bergfors power play goal, with a lone assist by Gynge. St. Petersburg got on the board with an Artemy Panarin goal, courtesy of Evgeny Dadonov. SKA pulled closer with a Viktor Tikhonov goal, guided in by Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexei Kuteikin. St. Petersburg tied it in the third period on a Patrick Thoresen goal, made possible by Anton Belov and Roman Cervenka on the power play. SKA took the lead with a Yury Alexandrov goal, coming off of Alexei Ponikarovsky and Ilya Kablukov. They held on from here to win 4-3, with Alexandrov, Gynge, and Bergfors getting the three stars.

Finally, Dinamo Riga brings in Atlant Mytishchi. Atte Engren and Jakub Sedlacek have the green light to start. Mytishchi led off in the first period with an Igor Radulov goal, assisted by Yaroslav Dyblenko and Mikhail Glukhov. Riga tied it on a power play goal by Lauris Darzins, powered by Krisjanis Redlihs and Oskars Cibulskis. Dinamo took the lead in the second period on an unassisted goal by Gunars Skvorcovs. Riga added on with a Milan Jurcina goal, passed from Juris Upitis. Dinamo extended the lead with a Marcel Hossa power play goal in the third period, guided in by Atlant got one back on an Ondrej Nemec shorthanded goal, set up by Sergei Shmelyov. This was as close as it got, with the final being 4-2. The three stars went to Jurcina, Hossa, and Skvorcovs.

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KHL September 22nd, 2014

Just one game today, as Avangard Omsk hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Curtis Sanford and Konstantin Barulin tend the twines. Omsk started with a first period power play goal by Denis Parshin, powered by Sergei Shirokov and Erik Gustafsson. Avangard added on in the second period as Andrei Ivanov scored, thanks to Alexander Popov and Gustafsson. Yaroslavl got on the board with a Sergei Konkov goal, passed from Emil Galimov. Lokomotiv tied it on an Ilya Gorokhov goal, assisted by Jiri Novotny and Alexei Kruchinin. Omsk took the lead back with another Parshin goal, fueled by Vladimir Sobotka. Avangard extended the lead with a third period goal by Shirokov, with a lone assist by Sobotka. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Parshin, Shirokov, and Gustafsson, while Sobotka gets an honorable mention.

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MLS Weekend September 19-21, 2014

Nine more games this weekend, beginning with a Friday Night game in...

Salt Lake City, where Real hosts the Colorado Rapids. Joe Nasco is mismatched with Nick Rimando in goal. Colorado began in the twenty-first minute on Jose Mari goal. Salt Lake tied it with a thirty-second minute goal by Joao Plata, coming off of Ned Grabavoy. Real took the lead in the thirty-third minute as Javier Morales scored an unassisted goal. The Rapids took a yellow card in the thirty-sixth minute for persistent infringement by Shane O'Neill. Salt Lake added on in the thirty-seventh minute as Chris Schuler scored a goal. Not that they needed any help at this point, but Real received a gift as Nasco put the ball in the net he was supposed to be guarding in the forty-fifth minute for an own goal. In the sixty-third minute, Salt Lake extended their lead with a Carlos Salcedo goal, going in unassisted. Colorado was given a yellow card in the eighty-fourth minute for a Dillon Serna foul. The Rapids were booked again for a Marc Burch foul in the eighty-eighth minute to bring another yellow card out. This made it a 5-1 final, and Morales was the man of the match for the game-winner.

Opening Saturday, there's a Cascadia Cup afternoon game in Portland, as the Timbers welcome the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. David Ousted and Donovan Ricketts are the keepers. Vancouver was first with a yellow card in the sixteenth minute on a foul by Matias Laba. The teams exchanged yellow cards in the twenty-fourth minute for a foul by Kendall Watson of the Whitecaps and Pa Modou Kah of the Timbers. Portland started in the twenty-eighth minute on a Diego Valeri goal, guided in by Jorge Villafana. In the sixty-sixth minute, the Timbers added on with a Fanendo Adi goal, passed from Valeri. Portland extended the lead in the sixty-ninth minute as Adi scored again, thanks to Darlington Nagbe. This was good for a 3-0 win, with the man of the match being Adi for his brace.

Eastward to Philadelphia, as the Union bring in the Houston Dynamo. Tyler Deric and Rais Mbolhi are in the six-yard boxes. Houston took a yellow card in the seventy-fifth minute on a Kofi Sarkodie foul. The final stood at 0-0 from here, and the man of the match was Deric for a clean sheet with three saves.

Up in Canada, the Montreal Impact host the San Jose Earthquakes. Jon Busch and Troy Perkins are the reliable goalies. Montreal waited until the eighty-first minute before Jack McInerney scored to give them a lead. In the eighty-eighth minute, the Impact added on with a Dilly Duka goal, set up by Marco Di Vaio. This was good for a 2-0 win, with the man of the match being McInerney for his timely game-winner.

Back stateside, the New York Red Bulls welcome the Seattle Sounders FC. Stefan Frei and Luis Robles tend the twines. New York was first to score in the first minute on a Bradley Wright-Phillips goal, going in unassisted. The Red Bulls added on in the fifty-fourth minute as Wright-Phillips converted a penalty kick. New York extended the lead as Wright-Phillips completed his hat trick in the fifty-sixth minute, assisted by Roy Miller and Thierry Henry. Seattle got on the board in the sixty-second minute as Clint Dempsey scored, with the help of Lamar Neagle. The Red Bulls took it back in the sixty-fifth minute on an unassisted Tim Cahill goal. This was good for a 4-1 win, and the man of the match was Wright-Phillips for his hat trick.

West to Columbus, where the Crew bring in the New England Revolution. Bobby Shuttleworth and Steve Clark protect the woodwork. Columbus was booked for a Justin Meram foul in the twenty-third minute, drawing out a yellow card. The Crew took another yellow card in the thirty-ninth minute for a foul by Tyson Wahl. New England had a booking for a Darrius Barnes foul in the forty-seventh minute. Columbus cashed in with a forty-eighth minute goal by Federico Higuain. The Crew took another yellow card for time wasting by Higuain in the seventy-second minute. Columbus was booked again on an Eric Gehrig foul in the seventy-fifth minute. The final was 1-0, and the man of the match was Clark for a clean sheet with six saves.

A little further west, the Chicago Fire host DC United. Bill Hamid and Sean Johnson guard the nets. Chicago struck first in the sixteenth minute on a Quincy Amarikwa goal, passed from Harrison Shipp. DC took a yellow card in the thirty-first minute, as Perry Kitchen committed a foul. The Fire cashed in with a Jeff Larentowicz penalty kick conversion a minute later to double their lead. United got one back in the thirty-ninth minute as Luis Silva put a penalty kick in the net. Chicago took a yellow card in the forty-fifth minute for a Razvan Cocis foul. DC tied it in the fifty-fourth minute with another goal from Silva. United took another yellow card in the sixty-fifth minute for a Nick DeLeon foul. DC pulled ahead in the sixty-eighth minute on a Bobby Boswell goal. The Fire retied it with a seventy-eighth minute goal by Matt Watson, with an assist from Amarikwa. Chicago took a yellow card in stoppage time for a Lovel Palmer foul. The final stood at 3-3, with the man of the match being Silva for his brace.

Closing out Saturday, we have the Los Angeles Galaxy welcoming FC Dallas. Raul Fernandez and Jaime Penedo are the goalies. Dallas took a yellow card for dissent from Kellyn Acosta in the twenty-fourth minute. Dallas had another booking as Victor Ulloa picked up a yellow card for a foul in the thirty-fifth minute. Dallas took another yellow card in the forty-second minute on a Moises Hernandez foul. Dallas began in the fifty-fourth minute with a Blas Perez goal, set up by Andres Escobar. Los Angeles tied it with a Robbie Keane goal in the sixty-second minute, via Gyasi Zardes. The Galaxy took a pair of yellow cards as Omar Gonzalez committed a foul in the sixty-ninth minute, followed by Marcelo Sarvas' foul in the seventy-fourth minute. Alan Gordon gave Los Angeles the lead with an eighty-fourth minute goal, assisted by Keane. The Galaxy picked up another yellow card on a ninetieth minute foul by Landon Donovan. They went on to win 2-1, with the man of the match being Keane with a goal and an assist.

The last game of the weekend is on Sunday, as Toronto FC brings in Chivas USA. Dan Kennedy and Joe Bendik are in front of the nets. Toronto struck first with a twenty-third minute goal by Jackson, courtesy of Gilberto and Jonathan Osorio. Chivas took a yellow card for persistent infringement by Nathan Sturgis in the thirty-eighth minute. Toronto added on in the second minute of first half stoppage time with a goal by Luke Moore, passed from Nick Hagglund and Michael Bradley. Toronto extended the lead as Gilberto scored in the fifty-fourth minute. Both teams went to ten men as Chivas' Nigel Reo-Coker and Toronto's Jackson had a fight, each getting a straight red card. Toronto's Daniel Lovitz took a yellow card for a foul in the seventy-fifth minute. The final stood at 3-0, with the man of the match being Gilberto with his goal and assist.

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KHL September 21st, 2014

Three more games today, beginning with...

Barys Astana hosting Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Ilya Sorokin and Jan Laco protect the nets. The game was scoreless into overtime until Brandon Bochenski scored, with the help of Mike Lundin and Evgeny Blokhin. The three stars in the 1-0 game were Laco (29 save shutout), Bochenski, and Sorokin (26 for 27 in saves).

Northwest to Moscow, as Dynamo welcomes Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vladislav Fokin and Alexander Yeryomenko are in the blue paint. Moscow struck first in the first period with a shorthanded goal by Maxim Pestushko, set up by Konstantin Gorovikov. Dynamo added on in the second period with a Martins Karsums power play goal, powered by Konstantin Volkov and Dmitry Vishnevsky. Moscow extended the lead with a third period goal by Denis Mosalyov, passed from Denis Kokarev and Filip Novak. Dynamo padded the lead as Kaspars Daugavins scored, thanks to Volkov. Chelyabinsk got on the board with a Stanislav Chistov goal, courtesy of Mikhail Mokin. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars being Yeryomenko (26 for 27 in saves), Volkov, and Karsums.

Finally, in Zagreb, Medvescak brings in Lada Togliatti. Jeff Glass and Barry Brust are the North American goalies. Zagreb was first to score with an Andrew Hutchinson goal in the first period, a power play goal powered by Pascal Pelletier and Mathieu Carle. Togliatti tied it on a second period goal by Jiri Hunkes, fueled by Yury Petrov and Alexander Chernikov. Medvescak took the lead back in the third period on a Matt Anderson goal, guided in by Aaron Polushaj and Mark Flood. Zagreb added on with a Martin St. Pierre goal, assisted by Brandon Segal and Pelletier. Medvescak extended the lead as James Wright scored on a penalty shot after Hunkes slashed him on a breakaway. Zagreb padded the lead with a Nathan Perkovich goal, coming off of Anderson and Polushaj. This made it a 5-1 final, with the three stars going to Anderson, Pelletier, and Polushaj.

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Premier League Week 5

Another week of Premier League action is here. We begin with six Saturday games, leading off with...

The Queens Park Rangers hosting Stoke City. Asmir Begovic and Robert Green are in the six-yard boxes. Stoke City led off with an eleventh minute goal by Mame Biram Diouf, a close range header assisted by a header pass from Peter Crouch. QPR tied it in the forty-second minute with a Steven Caulker close range header off of a cross by Jordon Mutch after a corner kick. Stoke City's Erik Pieters was shown a yellow card in first half stoppage time for a hand ball. In the fifty-first minute, Crouch put Stoke City back on top with a goal, thanks to a Victor Moses cross. QPR's Armand Traore was given a yellow card for a seventy-fourth minute foul. Stoke City took a pair of bookings in rapid succession, one for Diouf 's eighty-first minute foul and one for a Ryan Shawcross foul in the eighty-fourth minute, both for yellow cards. In the eighty-fifth minute, Leroy Fer of QPR was given a yellow card. Stoke City's Steve Sidwell took a yellow card for his eighty-eighth minute foul, and later that minute, Niko Kranjcar tied it for QPR by converting on the free kick. The tie was 2-2 for the final score.

Next up, Aston Villa welcomes Arsenal. Wojciech Szczesny and Brad Guzan man the nets. Arsenal took a yellow card for a twenty-second minute foul by Calum Chambers. Arsenal opened with a Mesut Ozil goal at the 32 minute mark, courtesy of Danny Welbeck's through ball. Arsenal added on as Welbeck scored in the thirty-fourth minute from close range after Ozil crossed it in. Arsenal extended the lead with an own goal by Aly Cissokho in the thirty-sixth minute. In the fifty-sixth minute, Arsenal saw Aaron Ramsey get a yellow card for a foul. The teams exchanged yellow cards later in the game, as Aston Villa's Ciaran Clark took one in the eighty-third minute for a foul, followed by an Arsenal yellow card given to Jack Wilshere in the eighty-fourth minute, also for a foul. The final stood at 3-0 in favor of Arsenal.

Moving along to Burnley bringing in Sunderland. Vito Mannone and Tom Heaton are the gloved men. The first hour of the game was quiet, and it wasn't until a Sunderland yellow card to Jack Rodwell in the sixty-second minute for a foul that anything notable happened. Sunderland took another yellow card for a seventy-eighth minute offense from John O'Shea. Burnley took a yellow card in the ninetieth minute for a foul by Dean Marney. The end result was a scoreless draw.

Continuing to Newcastle United hosting Hull City. Allan McGregor and Tim Krul received the starting nods in goal. At the 48 minute mark, Nikica Jelavic scored for Hull City, with an assist on a cross by Ahmed Elmohamady. Newcastle United took a pair of bookings on yellow cards, with Fabricio Coloccini getting one in the fifty-second minute and Moussa Sissoko getting the other in the fifty-ninth minute. Hull City added on with a sixty-eighth minute goal by Mohamed Diame, passed from Stephen Quinn. Newcastle United got on the board in the seventy-third minute as Papiss Demba Cisse scored, with the help of Cheick Tiote. Newcastle United tied it on another Cisse goal, set up by Yoan Gouffran on a headed pass in the eighty-seventh minute. Newcastle United was given another yellow card in the Sone Aluko foul in stoppage time. The score held level at 2-2 for a final score.

Out in Wales, Swansea City welcomes Southampton. Fraser Forster and Lukasz Fabianski are the keepers. In the twentieth minute, Wilfried Bony of Swansea City took a yellow card for a foul. Southampton had the next two yellow cards, going to Jose Fonte in the twenty-first minute for a foul and Maya Yoshida in the thirty-first minute. In the thirty-ninth minute, disaster struck for Swansea City, as Bony took a second yellow card for a foul and was ejected, leaving Swansea City at ten men. Southampton took another yellow card in the forty-eighth minute with a Ryan Bertrand foul bringing it out. Southampton got going in the eightieth minute with a goal by Victor Wanyama, courtesy of Graziano Pelle. Southampton took one more yellow card with a Morgan Schneiderlin foul in the eighty-ninth minute. The final stood from here at 1-0.

Closing out Saturday, West Ham United brings in Liverpool. Simon Mignolet and Adrian guard the woodwork. West Ham started in the second minute with a Winston Reid goal, set up by James Tomkins' headed pass off of a set piece. Reid transgressed to a yellow card in the fourth minute for a foul for West Ham. In the seventh minute, Diafra Sakho scored for West Ham, assisted by Mark Noble. Liverpool took a yellow card in the seventeenth minute on a foul by Mario Balotelli. Liverpool got on the board with a twenty-sixth minute goal by Raheem Sterling, an unassisted goal. In the twenty-eighth minute, Cheikhou Kouyate of West Ham took a yellow card for a foul. West Ham took another yellow card in the sixty-sixth minute on a Carl Jenkinson foul. West Ham extended their lead with an eighty-eighth minute goal by Morgan Amalfitano, thanks to a through ball by Stewart Downing. This made it a 3-1 final score.

The first game on Sunday features Leicester City hosting Manchester United. David de Gea and Kasper Schmeichel are set to start in goal. Manchester United began in the thirteenth minute on a Robin van Persie header goal, assisted by Falcao's cross. Manchester United added on in the sixteenth minute with an Angel Di Maria goal, fueled by Wayne Rooney. In the seventeenth minute, Leicester City got on the board as Leonardo Ulloa headed in a goal, coming off of a Jamie Vardy cross. In the thirty-third minute, Ritchie de Laet of Leicester City was shown a yellow card for his foul. Manchester United replied in the fifty-seventh minute on an Ander Herrera goal, guided in by Di Maria. In the sixty-second minute, Leicester City got it back on a David Nugent penalty kick goal to the top of the goal. In the sixty-fourth minute, Leicester City pulled level on an Esteban Cambiasso goal, set up by Vardy. Leicester City took the lead with a Vardy goal in the seventy-ninth minute, courtesy of de Laet's through ball on a fast break. Around the eighty-second minute, Tyler Blackett of Manchester United pulled Vardy down in the box, drawing a straight red card, and Rooney's dissent of that call earned him a yellow card at the same time. Making matters worse for Manchester United, Ulloa converted on the penalty kick to extend the Leicester City lead. This proved to lead to the 5-3 final after an epic collapse by Manchester United in the second half.

Moving along to Tottenham Hotspur welcoming West Bromwich Albion. Ben Foster and Hugo Lloris are the goalies. Tottenham Hotspur had the first notable event in the seventy-third minute with Danny Rose taking a yellow card. In the seventy-fourth minute, James Morrison of West Brom put them on the board with a header from close range off a cross from Chris Blunt after a corner kick. West Brom took a yellow card in the eighty-third minute as Stephane Sessegnon committed a foul. Tottenham Hotspur had another booking in the ninetieth minute as Roberto Saldado picked up a yellow card for his foul. The final remained at 1-0 in favor of West Brom.

Next up, Everton brings in Crystal Palace. Julian Speroni and Tim Howard play in goal. Everton led off in the ninth minute with a Romelu Lukaku goal, via Leon Osman. Crystal Palace tied it in the thirtieth minute as Mile Jedinak converted a penalty kick to the top right of the goal. In the fifty-fourth minute, Frazier Campbell headed the ball into the net from close range to give Crystal Palace the lead, with the help of a Martin Kelly cross. In the fifty-sixth minute, Samuel Eto'o of Everton was given a yellow card for a foul. Crystal Palace extended their lead with a Yannick Bolasie goal in the sixty-ninth minute, courtesy of Jason Puncheon. Puncheon took a yellow card in the seventy-sixth minute for a foul as well. Everton's Steven Naismith was given a yellow card for his seventy-seventh minute foul. Everton got one back as Leighton Baines scored in the eighty-third minute on a penalty kick. In the eighty-ninth minute, Speroni of Crystal Palace was given a yellow card for wasting time. It didn't affect the outcome, as Crystal Palace held on for a 3-2 win.

Finally, Manchester City hosts Chelsea. Thibaut Courtois and Joe Hart are the keepers. The teams went in pairs of yellow cards during the first half. The first pair belonged to Manchester City, for a twelfth minute foul by Fernandinho and a thirty-second minute foul by Pablo Zabaleta. Chelsea's yellow cards came much quicker, with a thirty-fourth minute foul by Ramires and a thirty-ninth minute offense by Nemanja Matic resulting in bookings. Manchester City had the next pair before the half ended, going to David Silva in the fortieth minute and Yaya Toure in the forty-fourth minute, both for fouls. They stopped this exchange in the second half, but discipline was still a major factor. In the sixty-sixth minute, Zabaleta of Manchester City and Diego Costa of Chelsea were both shown yellow cards. Zabaleta's yellow was his second of the game, so Manchester City was down to ten men after his ejection. Chelsea cashed in with a seventy-first minute goal by Andre Schurrle from close range, with the assist from Eden Hazard on a cross after a fast break. In the seventy-seventh minute, Branislav Ivanovic took a yellow card for Chelsea for his foul. In the eighty-fifth minute, Manchester City got an equalizer from Frank Lampard, assisted by James Milner. The draw was confirmed a few minutes later with a final of 1-1.

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