NHL January 31st, 2015

Eleven games on for today, beginning with three matinees, the first of which is in...

Montreal, as the Canadiens host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Carey Price guard the cages. Montreal won the game 1-0 in overtime on a Max Pacioretty goal, his twenty-third of the campaign, assisted by Tomas Plekanec and P.K. Subban. The three stars were awarded to Price (36 save shutout), Pacioretty, and Holtby (29 for 30 in saves).

Over to Detroit, where the Red Wings welcome the New York Islanders. Chad Johnson and Petr Mrazek are given the starting nods. Detroit opened in the first period on a Tomas Tatar power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Pavel Datsyuk and Danny DeKeyser. The Red Wings added on with a Brendan Smith goal, his third of the year, coming off of Tomas Jurco and Riley Sheahan in the second period. New York got on the board in the third period with a Lubomir Visnovsky power play goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Frans Nielsen and Brock Nelson. Detroit answered on an unassisted Jonathan Ericsson goal, his third of the year. The Red Wings iced it at 4-1 with a Gustav Nyquist power play goal, his twentieth of the campaign, fueled by Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall. The three stars went to Smith, Mrazek (22 for 23 in saves), and Ericsson.

Back in Canada, the Ottawa Senators bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Robin Lehner are in the creases. Arizona started in the first period on a Zbynek Michalek goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. Ottawa tied it on an unassisted Mike Hoffman goal, his seventeenth of the year. The Senators took the lead in the second period with a Milan Michalek goal, his seventh of the campaign, courtesy of David Legwand and Marc Methot. Ottawa added on with a Mark Stone goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Methot and Legwand. The Senators extended the lead in the third period as Bobby Ryan scored his fourteenth of the year, thanks to Clarke MacArthur and Mika Zibanejad. Ottawa padded the lead on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau goal, his second of the campaign, via Erik Karlsson. Louis Domingue replaced Smith in goal. The Coyotes got one back on a Sam Gagner goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Lauri Korpikoski and Keith Yandle. The Senators replied with a Karlsson goal, his twelfth of the year, assisted by Stone and Methot, the latter getting a sock trick. Ottawa finished it at 7-2 with a Zibanejad goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Ryan. The three stars were Methot, Stone, and Karlsson, while Legwand, Ryan, and Zibanejad get the honorable mentions.

At the regular time, the Boston Bruins hosted the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Tuukka Rask tend the twines. Boston got going in the second period as Brad Marchand scored his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Zdeno Chara and Gregory Campbell. Los Angeles tied it on a third period goal by Jordan Nolan, his second of the year, courtesy of Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin. The Bruins took the lead back with a Chris Kelly goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Carl Soderberg and Torey Krug. Boston iced it at 3-1 with an unassisted empty net goal by Marchand, his second of the game and fifteenth of the year. The three stars were Marchand, Rask (30 for 31 in saves), and Kelly.

Down in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Keith Kinkaid are set to start in goal. New Jersey struck first in the first period on a Jaromir Jagr goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Dainius Zubrus and Michael Cammalleri. The Devils added on with a Cammalleri goal, his sixteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Steve Bernier and Scott Gomez. New Jersey extended the lead in the third period on a Bernier empty net goal, his eighth of the season, set up by Adam Henrique. Florida avoided the shutout with a Brandon Pirri goal, his sixth of the year, with a lone assist by Brian Campbell. The final was 3-1, with the three stars going to Cammalleri, Kinkaid (26 for 27 in saves), and Bernier.

Over to New York, where the Rangers bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Henrik Lundqvist are the veteran goalies. New York was first to score in the first period on a Rick Nash goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, going in unassisted. The Rangers added on with a shorthanded goal by Dominic Moore, his fourth of the year, set up by Ryan McDonagh. Carolina got on the board in the second period with a Brad Malone goal, his fourth of the season, via Ryan Murphy and Patrick Dwyer. New York shot back in the third period on a Chris Kreider goal, his eleventh of the year, coming off of Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello. The Rangers finished it at 4-1 with a Dan Boyle goal, his fifth of the campaign, helped along by Carl Hagelin and Jesper Fast. The three stars belonged to Lundqvist (31 for 32 in saves), Moore, and Kreider.

West a little to Philadelphia, where the Flyers host the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Steve Mason are the masked men. Philadelphia led off in the first period on a Michael Del Zotto goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Petr Straka and Wayne Simmonds. This held up for a 1-0 win, with the three stars given to Mason (30 save shutout), Del Zotto, and Reimer (17 for 18 in saves).

Northwest to Winnipeg, where the Jets welcome the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Michael Hutchinson are the goalies. Dallas began in the first period on a Patrick Eaves power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Tyler Seguin and John Klingberg. Winnipeg tied it on an Andrew Ladd goal, his eighteenth of the year, coming off of Mark Stuart and Jacob Trouba. The Stars took the lead back with a Shawn Horcoff power play goal, his seventh of the season, via Trevor Daley and Ales Hemsky. Dallas added on with a Jason Spezza power play goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Seguin and Klingberg. The Stars extended the lead in the third period as Klingberg scored his eighth of the season, with the help of Vernon Fiddler and Colton Sceviour. Dallas padded the lead on Klingberg's second of the game and ninth of the year, a power play goal fueled by Seguin, who got a sock trick, and Jamie Benn. The Jets got one back on a Toby Enstrom goal, his second of the campaign, with assists provided by Blake Wheeler and Ladd. This only made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars being Klingberg, Seguin, and Ladd.

Backtracking to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis McElhinney and Ben Bishop are in the blue paint. Tampa Bay dented the scoreboard in the first period on a Brett Connolly goal, his ninth of the season, via Brenden Morrow and Jason Garrison. The Lightning added on in the third period on a Cedric Paquette goal, his tenth of the year, assisted by Jonathan Drouin and Alex Killorn. Tampa Bay extended the lead on a Valtteri Filppula goal, his tenth of the season, going in unassisted. Columbus got on the board with a Ryan Johansen goal, his nineteenth of the year, guided in by David Savard and Ryan Murray. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Bishop (34 for 35 in saves), Paquette, and Filppula.

Very far to the northwest, the Calgary Flames host the Edmonton Oilers for a Battle of Alberta. Ben Scrivens and Jonas Hiller are the journeymen goalies. Edmonton opened in the first period on a Jordan Eberle goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers added on with a Benoit Pouliot goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Eberle and Jeff Petry. Calgary got on the board in the third period with a Paul Byron goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Mason Raymond and Josh Jooris. The Flames tied it on a Lance Bouma goal, his seventh of the year, via David Jones and Mikael Backlund. Calgary took the lead with a Sean Monahan power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, powered by Mark Giordano and Dennis Wideman. The Flames iced it at 4-2 on another Bouma goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, with helpers from Backlund and Jones. The three stars were Bouma, Eberle, and Backlund, while Jones gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Chicago Blackhawks. Antti Raanta and Antti Niemi are the Finnish netminders. San Jose started with a first period goal by Melker Karlsson, his eighth of the season, coming off of Matt Irwin and Joe Thornton. The Sharks made it 2-0 in the third period on a Thornton empty net goal, his eleventh of the year, set up by Karlsson and Matt Tennyson. The three stars belonged to Niemi (31 save shutout), Karlsson, and Thornton.

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NHL January 30th, 2015

Five games for the night, with the first in...

Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes host the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Anton Khudobin are the young goalies. St. Louis struck first in the first period with a Ryan Reaves goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Steve Ott and Marcel Goc. The Blues added on with a David Backes goal, his seventeenth of the year, assisted by Alex Pietrangelo and T.J. Oshie. Cam Ward replaced Khudobin in goal. Carolina got on the board with a Justin Faulk goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Jay McClement and Brad Malone. The Hurricanes tied it in the second period on a Ryan Murphy power play goal, powered by Riley Nash and Jordan Staal. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Kevin Shattenkirk took the game for the Blues with his lone tally making it a 3-2 win. The three stars went to Ward (29 for 29 in saves in relief), Reaves, and Murphy.

Up in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Cory Schneider guard the cages. New Jersey got going in the third period on a Steve Bernier goal, his seventh of the season, going in unassisted. Pittsburgh tied it on a Chris Kunitz power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang. The Penguins won 2-1 in overtime as Simon Despres scored his second of the campaign, thanks to Brandon Sutter and Letang. The three stars were Despres, Letang, and Schneider (41 for 43 in saves).

Out west, the Colorado Avalanche host the Nashville Predators. Marek Mazanec is mismatched with Semyon Varlamov in goal. Colorado was first to score in the first period on a Max Talbot goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Nathan MacKinnon and Ryan O'Reilly. The Avalanche added on in the third period as Jarome Iginla scored his sixteenth of the year, with the help of Matt Duchene and Alex Tanguay. Colorado iced it with a Gabriel Landeskog empty net goal, his tenth of the campaign, set up by MacKinnon. The three stars were Varlamov (23 save shutout), MacKinnon, and Talbot.

Northwest to Vancouver, as the Canucks bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Matt Hackett and Ryan Miller draw the starts in goal. Buffalo began in the first period on a Chris Stewart power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons. Vancouver tied it as Bo Horvat scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Zack Kassian and Shawn Matthias. The Canucks took the lead in the second period with a Yannick Weber power play goal, his fourth of the season, via Chris Higgins and Linden Vey. Vancouver added on with a Nick Bonino power play goal, his eleventh of the year, with helpers provided by Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin. The Sabres pulled back with another Stewart power play goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, coming off of Brian Flynn and Nikita Zadorov. The Canucks replied with a third period goal by Higgins, his seventh of the year, passed from Christopher Tanev and Dan Hamhuis. Vancouver iced it at 5-2 on a Radim Vrbata empty net goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, set up by Tanev and Henrik Sedin. The three stars were Stewart, Higgins, and Henrik Sedin, while Tanev gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Frederik Andersen tend the twines. Chicago led off in the first period with a Jonathan Toews goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with a Duncan Keith goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist by Sharp. Chicago extended the lead on a Kane goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, fueled by Sharp, who got a sock trick, and Brad Richards. Anaheim got on the board with a third period goal by Rickard Rakell, his fifth of the year, a power play goal powered by Corey Perry and Patrick Maroon. The Blackhawks iced it at 4-1 with Kane's second of the game and twenty-fifth of the campaign, made possible by Sharp and Johnny Oduya. The three stars were Sharp, Kane, and Crawford (21 for 22 in saves).

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KHL January 30th, 2015

Eleven games set for today, beginning in...

Omsk, as Avangard hosts Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Ivan Kasutin and Denis Kostin are the goalies. Omsk opened in the first period on a Vladimir Sobotka power play goal, powered by Sergei Shirokov and Sergei Kalinin. Nizhny Novgorod tied it on a second period Gennady Stolyarov goal, coming off of the goalie Kasutin and Sakari Salminen on the power play. Torpedo took the lead in the third period with a Nikita Filatov goal, with a lone assist by Evgeny Mozer. Nizhny Novgorod added on with an unassisted goal by Alexei Potapov. Avangard got one back on an Alexander Perezhogin goal, via Vadim Khomitsky. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Potapov, Filatov, and Stolyarov.

Down in Kazakhstan, Barys Astana welcome CSKA Moscow. Ilya Sorokin and Pavel Poluektov are in the blue paint. Moscow began in the first period with a Maxim Mamin goal, passed from Roman Lyubimov. CSKA added on with a Sergei Andronov power play goal, powered by Jan Mursak and Stephane Da Costa. Moscow extended the lead in the second period as Da Costa scored, thanks to Mikhail Naumenkov and Andronov. CSKA padded the lead on a Nikita Zaitsev power play goal, helped along by Da Costa and Andreas Engqvist. CSKA kept going with a Lyubimov goal, going in unassisted. Astana got on the board in the third period with a Mike Lundin goal, courtesy of Nigel Dawes and Brandon Bochenski. This was only good enough to make it a 5-1 final, with the three stars going to Da Costa, Andronov, and Lyubimov.

Back in Russia, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg brings in Dinamo Minsk. Danny Taylor and Jakub Kovar draw the starts in goal. Minsk led off in the first period with a power play goal by Jonathan Cheechoo, powered by Ryan Vesce and Nick Bailen. Yekaterinburg got on the board with a second period goal by Alexander Nesterov, fueled by Eduard Lewandowski. Avtomobilist took the lead on an Alexander Loginov goal, with a lone assist by Anton Lazarev. Dinamo retied it on a third period power play goal by Alexander Materukhin, coming off of Lukas Krajicek. Minsk gained the lead as Alexander Kulakov scored, with the help of Charles Linglet and Dmitry Meleshko. Yekaterinburg tied it with a Lazarev goal, guided in by Nikita Tryamkin and Sami Lepisto. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Anatoly Golyshev and Aaron Palushaj gave Avtomobilist the 4-3 win. The three stars went to Lazarev, Loginov, and Nesterov.

Into Ufa, where Salavat Yulaev hosts Severstal Cherepovets. Sergei Magarilov is mismatched with Vladimir Sokhatsky in goal. Ufa started in the first period with a Denis Tolpeko goal, courtesy of Arturs Kulda and Dmitry Semin. Salavat Yulaev added on with a Semin goal, coming off of Andrei Zubarev. Ufa extended the lead in the second period on a Kirill Koltsov goal, with a lone assist by Evgeny Skachkov. Cherepovets tied it with an unassisted Nikolai Stasenko goal. Severstal got closer on a Pavel Chernov goal, fueled by Pavel Buchnevich and Dmitry Kagarlitsky. Cherepovets tied it on an Evgeny Kovyrshin goal, with a lone helper from Sergei Monakhov. Salavat Yulaev took the lead back with a Koltsov, helped along by Alexei Kaigorodov. Severstal tied it on a Buchnevich penalty shot goal, coming after he was cross-checked by Denis Bodrov. Cherepovets took the lead with a Yury Trubachyov goal, made possible by Maxim Trunyov. This held up for a 5-4 win, with the three stars going to Buchnevich, Koltsov, and Semin.

Backtracking to Magnitogorsk, where Metallurg welcomes Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Stepan Goryachevskikh and Vasily Koshechkin are the reliable goalies. Magnitogorsk struck first in the first period on a Sergei Tereshchenko goal, assisted by Evgeny Timkin and Vladimir Malenkikh. Khanty-Mansiysk tied it on a second period goal by Artyom Bulyansky, coming off of Philip Larsen and Nikita Gusev. Metallurg retook the lead as Tereshchenko scored his second of the game, helped along by Chris Lee and Maxim Yakutsenya on the power play. Yugra tied it again with a Ben Maxwell goal, guided in by Lukas Kaspar and Grigory Zheldakov. Khanty-Mansiysk took the lead in the third period on an Igor Magogin goal, with a lone assist by Gusev. Magnitogorsk retied it as Danis Zaripov scored, thanks to Viktor Antipin and Sergei Mozyakin. Metallurg pulled ahead with a Tim Brent goal, made possible by Lee and Malenkikh. Magnitogorsk iced it at 5-3 on a Tim Stapleton goal, via Evgeny Biryukov and Oskar Osala. The three stars went to Tereshchenko, Lee, and Malenkikh, while Gusev gets an honorable mention.

Southwest to Sochi, where the Leopards bring in Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Andrei Gavrilov are the masked men. Podolsk was first to score with an unassisted Maxim Afinogenov goal in the first period. Sochi tied it on an Evgeny Lapenkov power play goal, powered by Clay Wilson and Andre Petersson. Vityaz retook the lead with an Afinogenov goal in the second period, made possible by Roman Horak and Mario Kempe. The Leopards tied it again with a Roman Lyuduchin goal, via Alexei Krutov and Alexander Shcherbina. Sochi gained the lead in the third period as Andrei Kostitsyn scored, thanks to Igor Ignatushkin. The Leopards added on with a Cory Emmeton goal, with a lone assist by Petersson. Sochi won 5-2 on a Pyotr Schastlivy goal, helped along by Mikhail Anisin. The three stars were handed to Afinogenov, Petersson, and Kostitsyn.

Up in Kazan, Ak Bars hosts Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vasily Demchenko and Emil Garipov are between the pipes. Chelyabinsk opened in the first period on an unassisted Andrei Popov. Kazan tied it in the second period on an Alexander Svitov goal, courtesy of Artyom Lukoyanov and Igor Mirnov. Ak Bars gained the lead in the third period with a Mikhail Varnakov goal, passed from Konstantin Korneyev and Oscar Moller. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars given to Garipov (21 for 22 in saves), Varnakov, and Svitov.

Continuing to Moscow, where Dynamo welcomes Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Curtis Sanford and Alexander Lazushin protect the nets. Moscow got going in the second period with a Maxim Karpov goal, made possible by Dmitry Vishnevsky and Mat Robinson. This was all they needed for the 1-0 win. The three stars belonged to Lazushin (19 save shutout), Karpov, and Sanford (27 for 28 in saves).

North to Helsinki, where Jokerit brings in Slovan Bratislava. Johan Backlund and Henrik Karlsson guard the cages. Helsinki started in the first period on a Jere Sallinen goal, via Tomi Maki and Juhamatti Aaltonen. Jokerit added on with a Petteri Wirtanen goal in the second period, assisted by Aaltonen and Atte Ohtamaa. Helsinki extended the lead in the third period as Steve Moses scored a power play goal, powered by Ville Lajunen and Linus Omark. Jokerit finished it at 4-0 with another Sallinen goal, with a lone helper by Aaltonen, who got a sock trick. The three stars were Sallinen, Karlsson (20 save shutout), and Aaltonen.

Back to Russia again, as SKA St. Petersburg hosts Atlant Mytishchi. Atte Engren and Mikko Koskinen tend the twines. St. Petersburg led off in the first period with a power play goal by Artemy Panarin, powered by Evgeny Dadonov and Vadim Shipachyov. Mytishchi tied it with a Nikita Soshnikov goal, with a lone assist by Anton Babchuk. Atlant took the lead in the second period as Vyacheslav Leshchenko scored, thanks to Artyom Voronin. Mytishchi added on in the third period with an Albert Yarullin goal, via Evgeny Bodrov. This was good for a 3-1 win, with the three stars given to Engren (32 for 33 in saves), Leshchenko, and Yarullin.

Finally, Dinamo Riga hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Calvin Heeter and Jeff Deslauriers have the green light to play goal. Zagreb dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Patrick Bjorkstrand power play goal, powered by Mathieu Carle and Ville Leino. Riga tied it in the third period as Miks Indrasis scored, with the help of Lauris Darzins and Kyle Wilson. Medvescak took the lead back with an unassisted goal by Bill Thomas. This gave them a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Heeter (23 for 24 in saves), Thomas, and Bjorkstrand.

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NHL January 29th, 2015

Eleven games tonight, beginning on...

Long Island, where the New York Islanders host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak tend the twines. Boston struck first in the first period on a Reilly Smith goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Milan Lucic and David Krejci. The Bruins added on with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twelfth of the year, a power play goal powered by Dougie Hamilton and Smith. New York got on the board in the second period as John Tavares goal, his twenty-third of the season, thanks to Cal Clutterbuck and Travis Hamonic. The Islanders tied it on a Michael Grabner goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Johnny Boychuk and Tavares. Boston took the lead back on an unassisted Kevan Miller goal, his second of the season. The Bruins extended the lead with a Torey Krug goal, his tenth of the year, helped along by Smith and Lucic. Boston padded the lead on a Lucic empty net goal, his tenth of the campaign, set up by Krejci and Zdeno Chara. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars being Smith, Lucic, and Tavares, while Krejci gets the honorable mention.

Also in New York, the Rangers welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist guard the cages. Montreal dented the scoreboard in the third period on a Max Pacioretty goal, his twenty-second of the season, via Dale Weise and Alexei Emelin. This was all they needed for the 1-0 win. The three stars went to Price (24 save shutout), Pacioretty, and Lundqvist (25 for 26 in saves).

Over to Philadelphia, the Flyers bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Michael Hutchinson and Steve Mason are in the creases. Philadelphia was first to score in the first period on a Chris VandeVelde goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Michael Del Zotto and Luke Schenn. Winnipeg tied it on a Mathieu Perreault goal, his sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Michael Frolik. The Flyers took the lead as Wayne Simmonds scored his eighteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn. The Jets tied it again on a Perreault power play goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, with assists provided by Dustin Byfuglien and Mark Scheifele. Philadelphia took the lead in the second period on a Nick Schultz goal, helped along by Petr Straka and Ryan White. The Flyers added on with a Brayden Schenn goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Simmonds. Philadelphia iced it at 5-2 with a Sean Couturier empty net goal, his eleventh of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Brayden Schenn, Perreault, and Simmonds.

Up in Ottawa, the Senators host the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen faces a lesser foe in Robin Lehner in goal. Dallas led off in the first period on a Jamie Benn power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by John Klingberg and Patrick Eaves. The Stars added on with a Colton Sceviour goal, his sixth of the year, via Vernon Fiddler and Trevor Daley. Dallas extended the lead as Ales Hemsky goal, his eighth of the season, coming on the power play from Daley and Sceviour. Ottawa got on the board with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his twelfth of the year, fueled by Bobby Ryan and Clarke MacArthur. The Senators pulled closer with a Ryan power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Cody Ceci. Ottawa tied it in the third period with an Alex Chiasson goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by Kyle Turris. The Stars took the lead back with an unassisted goal by Klingberg, his seventh of the season. Dallas padded the lead on a Daley shorthanded empty net goal, his twelfth of the year, set up by Cody Eakin. The Stars iced it at 6-3 with a shorthanded, unassisted, empty net goal by Benn, his second of the game and sixteenth of the campaign. The three stars went to Daley, Klingberg, and Sceviour, while Benn gets an honorable mention.

South to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek and Ben Bishop draw the starts. Tampa Bay opened in the first period on a Cedric Paquette goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Alex Killorn and Jason Garrison. Detroit tied it on a Darren Helm goal, his ninth of the year, via Jonathan Ericsson and Pavel Datsyuk. The Lightning took the lead back with a Paquette goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, courtesy of Jonathan Drouin and Killorn. Tampa Bay added on in the second period on a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, powered by Anton Stralman and Drouin. The Lightning extended the lead as Paquette scored his ninth of the season, a shorthanded and unassisted goal to secure his hat trick. Tampa Bay padded the lead on a Mark Barberio goal, coming off of Andrej Sustr and Tyler Johnson. This was good for a 5-1 win, with the three stars being Paquette, Drouin, and Killorn.

North again to Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jonathan Bernier are set to start in goal. Toronto began in the first period on a Phil Kessel goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by James van Riemsdyk and Morgan Rielly. Arizona tied it on an Oliver Ekman-Larsson shorthanded goal in the third period, his thirteenth of the year, set up by Lauri Korpikoski. The Coyotes took the lead as Martin Hanzal scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Sam Gagner. Arizona iced it at 3-1 with a Gagner power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Keith Yandle and Martin Erat. The three stars were given to Gagner, Smith (24 for 25 in saves), and Hanzal.

Backtracking to Florida again, as the Panthers host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis McElhinney and Roberto Luongo are in the blue paint. Columbus got going in the second period on a Jack Johnson goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Cam Atkinson and Nick Foligno. Florida tied it on a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Brad Boyes and Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers took the lead with an Aaron Ekblad goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Brian Campbell and Dave Bolland. The Blue Jackets tied it on an Alexander Wennberg goal, his second of the year, via Artem Anisimov and Josh Anderson. Florida took the lead in the third period with a Sean Bergenheim power play goal, his eighth of the campaign, his eighth of the campaign, powered by Dmitry Kulikov and Alex Petrovic. This was good for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Bergenheim, Ekblad, and Huberdeau.

Northwest to St. Louis, where the Blues welcome the Nashville Predators. Carter Hutton and Brian Elliott are between the pipes. Nashville started in the first period on a Mike Fisher goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Roman Josi and Shea Weber on the power play. The Predators added on in the second period on a Filip Forsberg goal, his seventeenth of the year, courtesy of Craig Smith and Mike Ribeiro. St. Louis got on the board with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his seventeenth of the season, via Vladimir Tarasenko and Carl Gunnarsson. The Blues tied it on a T.J. Oshie goal, his fourteenth of the year, coming off of Paul Stastny and David Backes. St. Louis took the lead on a Steve Ott goal, his second of the season, fueled by Kevin Shattenkirk and Patrik Berglund. Nashville retied it on a shorthanded goal by Fisher, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, set up by Josi and Calle Jarnkrok. The Blues regained the lead on a Ryan Reaves goal, his fourth of the season, with a lone assist by Dmitrij Jaskin. The Predators retied it on a James Neal goal, his sixteenth of the year, passed from Fisher and Colin Wilson. The tie went to a shootout, where Oshie and Shattenkirk topped Josi for a 5-4 Blues win. The three stars went to Fisher, Josi, and Shattenkirk.

Continuing to Calgary, where the Flames bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Jonas Hiller are the average goalies. Minnesota led off in the first period on a Zach Parise goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Thomas Vanek. This held up for a 1-0 win, with the three stars being Dubnyk (30 save shutout), Hiller (31 for 32 in saves), and Parise.

Also in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Buffalo Sabres. Jhonas Enroth and Ben Scrivens are the lousy goalies. Buffalo struck first in the first period on a Tyler Myers goal, his second of the season, via Torrey Mitchell and Brian Gionta. Edmonton tied it on a Matt Fraser goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Anton Lander and Luke Gazdic. The Oilers took the lead on an Oscar Klefbom goal, passed from Lander and Fraser. Edmonton added on in the third period, assisted by Teddy Purcell and Fraser. The Sabres got one back on a Rasmus Ristolainen goal, his fourth of the campaign, coming off of Gionta and Zemgus Girgensons. This only made it 3-2, with the three stars given to Lander, Fraser, and Gionta.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Anaheim Ducks. Ilya Bryzgalov and Antti Niemi received the starting nods. Anaheim was first to score in the first period on an Andrew Cogliano goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Rickard Rakell and Jakob Silfverberg. San Jose tied it on a Joe Pavelski goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, guided in by Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau on the power play. The Sharks took the lead in the second period with a Barclay Goodrow goal, his third of the campaign, courtesy of James Sheppard and Tomas Hertl. San Jose added on with a Marleau goal, his tenth of the season, via Brent Burns and Thornton. The Sharks extended the lead as Matt Irwin scored his third of the year, thanks to Logan Couture. San Jose padded the lead with a Sheppard goal, his fifth of the campaign, assisted by Goodrow and Hertl. The Sharks chased Bryzgalov (replaced by Frederik Andersen) on a shorthanded Brenden Dillon goal, his second of the season, set up by Matthew Nieto and Matt Tennyson. The Ducks got one back in the third period on a Matt Beleskey goal, his nineteenth of the year, with helpers from Ryan Kesler and Kyle Palmieri. Anaheim pulled closer on a Patrick Maroon goal, his sixth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Hampus Lindholm. This made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars being Goodrow, Marleau, and Sheppard, while Thornton and Hertl get the honorable mentions.

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KHL January 29th, 2015

Three games on today, beginning in...

Novokuznetsk, where Metallurg hosts Admiral Vladivostok. Ivan Nalimov and Rafael Khakimov are set to start in goal. Novokuznetsk struck first in the first period on a Mikhail Plotnikov goal, fueled by Vadim Mitryakov. Vladivostok tied it on a Konstantin Sokolov goal, via Richard Gynge. Admiral took the lead on a Vladislav Ushenin goal, coming off of Artyom Zemchyonok. Vladivostok added on with a Niclas Bergfors goal, made possible by Tom Wandell and Enver Lisin. Andrei Kareyev replaced Khakimov in goal. Metallurg got one back with a Kirill Kaprizov goal, going in unassisted. Novokuznetsk tied it on a Kaprizov goal in the second period, courtesy of Ansel Galimov and Cade Fairchild. Metallurg took the lead on an Alexander Komaristy goal, assisted by Konstantin Turukin and Plotnikov. Ilya Proskuryakov replaced Nalimov in goal. Admiral retied it in the third period on a Shaun Heshka goal, driven in by Jan Kolar and Ilya Zubov. In the shootout, Bergfors was topped by Komaristy and Ryan Stoa for a 5-4 Metallurg win. The three stars went to Kaprizov, Plotnikov, and Komaristy.

Moving to Novosibirsk, where Sibir welcomes Amur Khabarovsk. Alexander Pechursky and Alexander Salak draw the starts. Novosibirsk got going in the second period on an Artyom Voroshilo shorthanded goal, set up by Viktor Bobrov. Khabarovsk tied it on a Vyacheslav Litovchenko goal, coming off of Sergei Peretyagin and Ruslan Bashkirov. Sibir took the lead back on an Alexei Kopeikin goal, guided in by David Ullstrom and Patrik Hersley. Novosibirsk added on with a Jarno Koskiranta goal, assisted by Dmitry Kugryshev and Vyacheslav Belov. Sibir extended the lead in the third period with an Igor Ozhiganov goal, with a lone assist by Ullstrom. This produced the 4-1 final, with the three stars going to Salak (22 for 23 in saves), Ullstrom, and Kopeikin.

Finally, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk brings in Lada Togliatti. Evgeny Ivannikov and Ville Kolppanen are in the blue paint. Nizhnekamsk was first to score in the first period on a Yaroslav Alshevsky goal, fueled by Pavel Kulikov and Alexander Yevseyenkov. Togliatti tied it on a Georgy Belousov penalty shot goal, which he received for being slashed by Yevseyenkov. Lada took the lead in the second period on an Alexander Sharov goal, assisted by Martin Zatovic and Stanislav Bocharov. Neftekhimik tied it again with an Evgeny Ryasensky goal, helped along by Stanislav Alshevsky and Yegor Milovzorov. Nizhnekamsk took the lead on a Matt Anderson goal, with a lone assist by Mikhail Zhukov. Togliatti tied it in the third period as Denis Golubev scored, thanks to Jiri Hunkes and Alexander Chernikov. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Andrei Mnikhovich cancelled out Belousov so Milovzorov could score the clincher and give Neftekhimik the 4-3 win. The three stars went to Milovzorov, Belousov, and Anderson.

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NHL January 28th, 2015

Three games on, as the...

New Jersey Devils host the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first game. Jonathan Bernier and Cory Schneider are the talented goalies. Toronto got going in the third period on a James van Riemsdyk goal, his twenty-first of the season, assisted by Tyler Bozak and David Clarkson. New Jersey tied it on an Adam Larsson goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Martin Havlat and Patrik Elias. The Devils won 2-1 in the shootout with goals by Jacob Josefson and Elias. The three stars went to Schneider (29 for 30 in saves), Bernier (22 for 23 in saves), and Elias.

Down in DC, the Washington Capitals welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Braden Holtby guard the cages. Washington started in the first period on an Alex Ovechkin goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, assisted by Karl Alzner and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on in the second period on an Ovechkin power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-ninth of the year, powered by Mike Green and Backstrom. Washington extended the lead in the third period on an Eric Fehr goal, his fifteenth of the season, courtesy of Brooks Laich and Brooks Orpik. The Capitals padded the lead with a Green goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Evgeny Kuznetsov and Marcus Johansson. The three stars of the 4-0 game were Ovechkin, Holtby (27 save shutout), and Green, while Backstrom gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Los Angeles Kings bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Jonathan Quick tend the twines. Chicago opened in the first period on a Patrick Kane goal, his twenty-third of the season, coming off of David Rundblad and Patrick Sharp. Los Angeles tied it on a Jeff Carter goal, his thirteenth of the year, made possible by Brayden McNabb and Tyler Toffoli. The Blackhawks gained the lead with a Sharp power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Kane and Duncan Keith. The Kings tied it with Carter's second of the game and fourteenth of the year in the second period, a power play goal guided in by Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik. Chicago pulled ahead with a third period goal by Andrew Shaw, his ninth of the season, with a lone assist by Teuvo Teravainen. Los Angeles tied it again with a Toffoli goal, his thirteenth of the year, fueled by Dwight King and Carter. The Kings took the lead on a Jake Muzzin goal, his sixth of the campaign, helped along by Kopitar. This held up for a 4-3 win, with the three stars going to Carter, Toffoli, and Kopitar, while Kane and Sharp get honorable mentions.

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KHL January 28th, 2015

Eleven games on today, beginning with...

Avangard Omsk hosting CSKA Moscow. Kevin Lalande and Denis Kostin are given the starting nods. Moscow led off in the first period with an Andreas Engqvist goal, via Igor Grigorenko. Omsk tied it on a Kirill Semyonov goal, passed from Igor Musatov and Nikolai Glukhov. CSKA took the lead back with an Andrei Stas goal, coming off of Igor Makarov and Igor Volkov. Moscow added on as Jan Mursak scored a power play goal in the second period, with the help of Ondrej Nemec. CSKA extended the lead on a power play goal by Bogdan Kiselevich, powered by Makarov. Avangard got one back with a Nikita Pivtsakin goal, assisted by Ivan Fischenko and Kirill Rasskazov. This was it for the scoring, with CSKA taking the game 4-2, and the three stars went to Makarov, Mursak, and Kiselevich.

Down in Astana, Barys welcomes Severstal Cherepovets. Sergei Magarilov and Pavel Poluektov are the unknown goalies. Astana opened in the first period with a Mike Lundin goal, made possible by Dustin Boyd and Nigel Dawes. Cherepovets tied it on a Pavel Chernov goal, guided in by Dmitry Kagarlitsky and Logan Pyett. Severstal took the lead in the second period on an unassisted Maxim Trunyov goal. Barys tied it again in the third period as Roman Starchenko scored, thanks to Dawes and Boyd. Astana won 3-2 in overtime with a Dawes goal, courtesy of Dmitry Upper. The three stars went to Dawes, Boyd, and Starchenko.

Back in Russia, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg brings in Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vasily Demchenko and Jakub Kovar are given the starting nods. Yekaterinburg got going in the second period with an Artyom Gareyev goal, passed from Gilbert Brule and Aaron Palushaj. Chelyabinsk tied it on a Francis Pare power play goal in the third period, powered by Artyom Penkovsky. Traktor took the lead on a Pare goal, with a lone assist by Stanislav Chistov. Chelyabinsk iced it at 3-1 on an Anton Glinkin empty net goal, set up by Dmitry Pestunov. The three stars were handed to Pare, Demchenko (17 for 18 in saves), and Gareyev.

Continuing to Ufa, where Salavat Yulaev hosts Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Ivan Kasutin and Vladimir Sokhatsky are in the blue paint. Nizhny Novgorod started in the first period on a Wojtek Wolski power play goal, powered by Nikita Filatov and Juuso Hietanen. Torpedo added on with a Vladimir Galuzin goal, with a lone assist by Filatov. Nizhny Novgorod extended the lead in the second period as Wolski scored his second of the game, fueled by Jarkko Immonen and Sakari Salminen. Torpedo padded the lead with a Salminen goal, made possible by Hietanen and Immonen. Leland Irving replaced Sokhatsky in goal. Nizhny Novgorod continued in the third period on an Immonen goal, assisted by Salminen and Wolski. Torpedo finished it at 6-0 on a Denis Kazionov goal, coming off of Valery Vasilyev and Veli-Matti Savinainen. The three stars went to Wolski, Immonen, and Salminen, while Filatov, Hietanen, and Kasutin (23 save shutout) receive the honorable mentions.

Back east to Magnitogorsk, where Metallurg welcomes Dinamo Minsk. Dmitry Milchakov is mismatched with Vasily Koshechkin in goal. Minsk began in the first period on a Paul Szczechura goal, assisted by Jonathan Cheechoo. Magnitogorsk tied it on a Viktor Antipin goal, fueled by Sergei Mozyakin and Jan Kovar. Metallurg took the lead on an Oskar Osala penalty shot goal, after he was hooked by Nick Bailen. Magnitogorsk added on in the third period as Tim Stapleton goal, courtesy of Chris Lee and Tim Brent. Dinamo got one back with a Matt Ellison goal, passed from Evgeny Nogachyov and Ryan Vesce. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Stapleton, Osala, and Antipin.

Westward to Yaroslavl, where Lokomotiv brings in Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Vitaly Kolesnik are between the pipes. Yaroslavl dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Vyacheslav Solodukhin power play goal, powered by Roman Kudinov. Yaroslavl tied it on a third period power play goal by Daniil Apalkov, assisted by Yegor Averin and Yegor Yakovlev. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Sergei Konkov lifted Lokomotiv to a 2-1 win. The three stars belonged to Kolesnik (24 for 25 in saves), Sateri (36 for 37 in saves), and Apalkov.

Down to Kazan, where Ak Bars hosts Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Barry Brust and Emil Garipov occupy the creases. Kazan struck first in the first period on an Oscar Moller goal, guided in by Vladimir Denisov and Mikhail Varnakov. Ak Bars added on with a Varnakov goal, with a lone assist by Moller. Kazan extended the lead as Alexander Burmistrov scored in the third period, thanks to Igor Mirnov and Sheldon Brookbank. Khanty-Mansiysk got on the board with an Artyom Bulyansky power play goal, powered by Andrei Chibisov. This was as close as it got, with the final being 3-1. The three stars went to Varnakov, Moller, and Garipov (23 for 24 in saves).

North to Finland, as Jokerit Helsinki welcomes Medvescak Zagreb. Calvin Heeter and Henrik Karlsson are given the green light to start in goal. Helsinki dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Steve Moses power play goal, powered by Atte Ohtamaa and Linus Omark. Zagreb tied it on a power play goal by James Wright, with a lone assist from Ville Leino. Medvescak took the lead on a Bill Thomas goal, fueled by Edwin Hedberg and Sasa Martinovic. Zagreb added on with an unassisted Brandon Segal goal in the third period. Medvescak extended the lead with a Thomas power play goal into an empty net, going in unassisted. The final stood at 4-1, with the three stars going to Thomas, Heeter (34 for 35 in saves), and Segal.

Crossing into Russia, SKA St. Petersburg brings in Slovan Bratislava. Johan Backlund and Mikko Koskinen guard the cages. Bratislava got going in the second period with a Ladislav Nagy goal, going in unassisted. St. Petersburg tied it on a Jimmie Ericsson power play goal in the third period, powered by Roman Cervenka and Maxim Chudinov. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Cervenka was outmuscled by Ziga Jeglic and Tomas Netik for a 2-1 Slovan win. The three stars went to Backlund (36 for 37 in saves), Koskinen (17 for 18 in saves), and Cervenka.

Backtracking to Moscow, where Dynamo hosts the Sochi Leopards. Andrei Gavrilov and Alexander Lazushin play goal. Moscow was first to score in the first period on a Konstantin Glazachev goal, courtesy of Dmitry Vishnevsky and Yegor Dugin. Dynamo added on in the second period with Glazachev's second of the game, with a lone helper from Dugin. Moscow extended the lead on a Kaspars Daugavins power play goal in the third period, powered by Konstantin Volkov and Nikolai Zherdev. This produced the 3-0 final, with the three stars awarded to Glazachev, Lazushin (24 save shutout), and Dugin.

Finally, Dinamo Riga hosts Atlant Mytishchi. Atte Engren and Jakub Sedlacek are the veteran goalies. Mytishchi began with a Sergei Shmelyov goal in the first period, with a lone assist by Nikita Soshnikov. Riga tied it in the second period as Miks Indrasis scored, thanks to Lauris Darzins and Kyle Wilson. Dinamo took the lead in the third period on a Charles Genoway goal, fueled by Linus Videll and Mikelis Redlihs. Riga added on with a Ginta Meija empty net goal, set up by Andris Dzerins and Oskars Cibulskis. The final was 3-1, and the three stars were Sedlacek (31 for 32 in saves), Genoway, and Indrasis.

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NHL January 27th, 2015

Eleven games on as the NHL emerges from the All-Star break. The first is a...

Battle of New York, as the Islanders host their cross-town rivals, the Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Jaroslav Halak tend the twines. The Islanders opened on a first period goal by Mikhail Grabovski, his seventh of the season, via Josh Bailey and Johnny Boychuk. The Islanders added on in the second period as Matt Martin scored his seventh of the year, thanks to Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas. The Islanders extended the lead on a third period Ryan Strome goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Frans Nielsen and Calvin de Haan. The Islanders padded the lead on a John Tavares power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Travis Hamonic and Bailey. The Rangers got on the board with a Carl Hagelin gaol, his tenth of the campaign, made possible by Jesper Fast and Dominic Moore. This only made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars given to Halak (40 for 41 in saves), Bailey, and Martin.

Into Pennsylvania, where the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Ray Emery are the lousy goalies. Arizona led off in the first period on a Connor Murphy goal, his third of the season, guided in by Martin Erat and Andrew Campbell. The Coyotes added on with an Erat goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Shane Doan. Steve Mason relieved Emery. Philadelphia got on the board as Wayne Simmonds scored a power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Mark Streit and Claude Giroux. The Flyers tied it on an R.J. Umberger goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Andrew MacDonald and Sean Couturier. Philadelphia took the lead on a Michael Del Zotto goal, his fourth of the season, with assists provided by Jakub Voracek and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Arizona tied it again with a Tobias Rieder goal, his seventh of the year, via Doan and Antoine Vermette. The tie went to a shootout, where Simmonds scored for a 4-3 Flyers win. The three stars went to Simmonds, Erat, and Doan.

Staying in the state, the Pittsburgh Penguins bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Thomas Greiss are the backups in goal. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Nick Spaling goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by David Perron and Kris Letang. Winnipeg tied it in the second period with a Chris Thorburn goal, his fifth of the year, via Adam Lowry and Evander Kane. The Jets took the lead on a Jacob Trouba goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Kane and Dustin Byfuglien. The Penguins retied it on a Steve Downie goal, his ninth of the year, courtesy of Letang and Marcel Goc. Winnipeg gained the lead in the third period as Lowry scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Thorburn and Kane, the latter getting a sock trick. Pittsburgh tied it again with a Perron power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Letang, who got a sock trick, and Chris Kunitz. The Penguins pulled ahead on a Brandon Sutter power play goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Paul Martin and Letang. Pittsburgh iced it at 5-3 with an empty net goal by Patric Hornqvist, his fourteenth of the year, set up by Martin and Letang. The three stars were Letang, Perron, and Kane, while Thorburn, Lowry, and Martin get the honorable mentions.

Into Ohio, where the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby faces a lesser foe in Curtis McElhinney in goal. Columbus got going in the second period on a Mark Letestu goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Corey Tropp and Jack Johnson. The Blue Jackets added on with a Ryan Johansen goal, his eighteenth of the year, via Kevin Connauton and Nick Foligno. Washington got on the board with an Andre Burakovsky goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Matt Niskanen and Nicklas Backstrom. Columbus shot back on a Fedor Tyutin goal, his second of the year, coming off of Cam Atkinson and Dalton Prout. The Capitals replied on a Troy Brouwer goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Niskanen and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Blue Jackets answered in the third period on an Atkinson goal, his ninth of the year, helped along by Tyutin and Foligno. Washington clawed back on a Kuznetsov goal, his fifth of the campaign, with helpers provided by Marcus Johansson and John Carlson. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars handed to Tyutin, Atkinson, and Kuznetsov, while Niskanen and Foligno get the honorable mentions.

Back east, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin occupy the creases. Carolina quickly started in the first period on an Eric Staal goal, his sixteenth of the season, with a lone helper by Jordan Staal. The Hurricanes added on with a Nathan Gerbe goal, his fifth of the year, via Elias Lindholm and Brett Bellemore. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Cedric Paquette goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Jonathan Drouin and Andrej Sustr. Carolina answered in the second period on a power play goal by Justin Faulk, his ninth of the year, powered by Jordan Staal. The Lightning got one back on a shorthanded and unassisted Brian Boyle goal, his tenth of the season. The Hurricanes replied in the third period on a Jiri Tlusty goal, his twelfth of the year, coming off of Faulk and Eric Staal. The final was 4-2, with the three stars being Faulk, Eric Staal, and Jordan Staal.

Up in Montreal, the Canadiens bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Carey Price are the masked men. Montreal struck first in the first period on an Alexei Emelin goal, his second of the season, via Brandon Prust and Tom Gilbert. The Canadiens added on with an Alex Galchenyuk goal, his thirteenth of the year, courtesy of Nathan Beaulieu and Sergei Gonchar. Dallas got on the board with a Jamie Benn goal, his fourteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Jason Spezza. Montreal answered in the second period with a Brendan Gallagher power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov. The Stars got one back on a power play goal by Patrick Eaves, his fourth of the campaign, assisted by Tyler Seguin and Benn. This only made it 3-2, the eventual final, with the three stars given to Benn, Gallagher, and Price (40 for 42 in saves).

Way south to Florida, as the Panthers host the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek and Roberto Luongo are between the pipes. Detroit was first to score in the first period on a Drew Miller shorthanded goal, his third of the season, set up by Jonathan Ericsson. Florida tied it on a power play goal by Aleksander Barkov, his fifth of the year, powered by Nick Bjugstad and Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers took the lead on a power play goal from Brandon Pirri, his fifth of the campaign, made possible by Brian Campbell and Jussi Jokinen. The Red Wings tied it in the second period on a Henrik Zetterberg goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Justin Abdelkader and Gustav Nyquist. Detroit took the lead on a Luke Glendening goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Stephen Weiss and Riley Sheahan. The Red Wings added on with a Weiss goal, his sixth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Sheahan. Detroit extended the lead on Glendening's second of the game and sixth of the season, fueled by Weiss. Florida got one back on a Bjugstad power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, with helpers provided by Ekblad and Barkov. The Panthers pulled closer in the third period with a Brad Boyes goal, his tenth of the campaign, with a lone helper from Barkov. The three stars went to Glendening, Weiss, and Barkov, while Sheahan, Ekblad, and Bjugstad get the honorable mentions.

Northwest to Nashville, where the Predators welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Carter Hutton are set to start in goal. Colorado opened in the first period on a Cody McLeod goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Zach Redmond and John Mitchell. Nashville tied it on a Roman Josi goal in the second period, his eighth of the year, guided in by Shea Weber and Mike Ribeiro. The Predators took the lead on a power play goal by Colin Wilson, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Seth Jones and Ribeiro. The Avalanche retied it with a Jarome Iginla goal, his fifteenth of the year, passed from Matt Duchene and Alex Tanguay. Nashville gained the lead with a Filip Forsberg goal in the third period, his sixteenth of the season, going in unassisted. Colorado retied it on a Nick Holden goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Gabriel Landeskog and Tyson Barrie. The Predators won 4-3 in overtime as Craig Smith scored his fourteenth of the campaign, thanks to Ribeiro, who got a sock trick, and Weber. The three stars went to Ribeiro, Smith, and Weber.

Continuing to Calgary, where the Flames bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Jhonas Enroth and Jonas Hiller are the goalies with similar names. Buffalo started in the first period on a Chris Stewart goal, his seventh of the season, a power play goal assisted by Tyler Ennis and Tyler Myers. Calgary tied it on a Johnny Gaudreau power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Jiri Hudler and Mark Giordano. The Flames took the lead in the third period on a Josh Jooris goal, his tenth of the season, guided in by Joe Colborne. Calgary added on with Colborne's sixth of the year, helped along by Raphael Diaz and T.J. Brodie. The Flames iced it at 4-1 with a Gaudreau goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the campaign, with helpers from Hudler and Sean Monahan. The three stars were given to Gaudreau, Colborne, and Hudler.

Staying in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Viktor Fasth are the under-the-radar goalies. Minnesota led off in the first period on a Nino Niederreiter goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Justin Fontaine. Edmonton tied it in the second period on a Boyd Gordon goal, his sixth of the year, coming off of Matt Hendricks and Oskar Klefbom. The Wild took the lead in the third period on a Charlie Coyle goal, his sixth of the campaign, going in unassisted. This was good for a 2-1 win, with the three stars given to Dubnyk (23 for 24 in saves), Coyle, and Niederreiter.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen and Ryan Miller guard the cages. Anaheim began in the first period on a Matt Beleskey goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Hampus Lindholm and Ryan Kesler. The Ducks added on in the second period on a Kyle Palmieri power play goal, his tenth of the year, powered by Rickard Rakell. Anaheim extended the lead as Rakell scored in the third period, his fourth of the season, coming off of Clayton Stoner and Sami Vatanen. The Ducks padded the lead with an empty net goal by Patrick Maroon, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The final was 4-0, and the three stars were Rakell, Andersen (17 save shutout), and Beleskey.

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KHL January 27th, 2015

Two games on again today, with...

Metallurg Novokuznetsk hosting Amur Khabarovsk. Alexander Pechursky and Rafael Khakimov are set to start in goal. Khabarovsk struck first in the first period on a Mikhail Fisenko penalty shot goal, coming after he was hooked by Ryan Stoa. Novokuznetsk tied it on a Mikail Plotnikov power play goal, powered by Anton Kapotov and Alexander Komaristy. Metallurg took the lead on a Stoa power play goal, with a lone assist by Sergei Sentyurin. Amur retied it in the second period as Dmitry Tarasov scored, thanks to Anton Krysanov and Michel Miklik. Khabarovsk took the lead on a Dmitry Lugin goal, made possible by Evgeny Kurbatov and Kirill Safronov. Amur finished it at 4-2 in the third period with a Krysanov goal, coming off of Lugin. The three stars were given to Lugin, Krysanov, and Tarasov.

Over in Novosibirsk, Sibir hosts Admiral Vladivostok. Ivan Nalimov and Alexander Salak are in the blue paint. Novosibirsk was first to score in the third period on a Dmitry Monya goal, via Alexei Kopeikin and Konstantin Alexeyev. Sibir added on with a Kopeikin goal, courtesy of David Ullstrom and Igor Ozhiganov on the power play. Vladivostok got on the board with a Niclas Bergfors goal, fueled by Enver Lisin and Tom Wandell. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Kopeikin, Salak (29 for 30 in saves), and Monya.

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KHL January 26th, 2015

Two games on right out of the All-Star weekend, with the first in...

Ufa, as Salavat Yulaev hosts SKA St. Petersburg. Mikko Koskinen and Vladimir Sokhatsky are given the starting nods. Ufa began in the first period on a Denis Tolpeko goal, courtesy of Denis Khlystov. Salavat Yulaev added on as Antti Pihlstrom scored in the second period, thanks to Dmitry Semin. St. Petersburg got on the board in the third period with a Dmitry Kalinin goal, via Ilya Kovalchuk and Viktor Tikhonov. Ufa shot back on an Alexander Mereskin goal, assisted by Stanislav Golovanov and Andrei Ankudinov. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Sokhatsky (28 for 29 in saves), Pihlstrom, and Mereskin.

The other game has Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk hosting Traktor Chelyabinsk. Michael Garnett and Alexander Sudnitsin protect the nets. Nizhnekamsk led off in the first period on a Pavel Kulikov goal, passed from Yaroslav Alshevsky. Chelyabinsk tied it on an Anton Glinkin power play goal, powered by Andrei Popov and Dmitry Pestunov. Neftekhimik retook the lead in the second period on a Yegor Milovzorov goal, assisted by Stanislav Alshevsky. Traktor tied it again on a Pestunov power play goal, guided in by Popov and Glinkin. Nizhnekamsk pulled ahead on a Pavel Kulikov goal, via Maxim Berezin and Milovzorov. Neftekhimik won 4-2 with a third period goal by Milovzorov, his second of the game, coming off of Evgeny Ryasensky and Andrei Ivanov. The three stars were given to Milovzorov, Glinkin, and Pestunov, while Popov gets an honorable mention.

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The Hockey All-Star Double Feature

As both of the world's top international hockey leagues had their All-Star Games on the same day, I felt it would be right to give them in one star-studded blog post. First up, from...

The Bolshoy Ice Dome in Sochi, Russia, the West KHL Stars host the East KHL Stars. Jakub Kovar and Alexander Yeryomenko received the starts. East began with a Denis Parshin goal, via Dmitry Kugryshev. West tied it on a Wojtek Wolski goal, and took the lead on a Nick Bailen goal, both of which were unassisted. West added on with a Vadim Shipachyov goal, passed from Wolski. East got one back on a Sergei Mozyakin goal, fueled by Metallurg teammates Danis Zaripov and Chris Lee. West answered on an Ilya Kovalchuk goal, with a lone helper from Steve Moses. East clawed back on a Nikita Gusev goal, assisted by Justin Azevedo and Erik Gustafsson. West replied as Nikita Shchitov of the hometown Sochi Leopards put in an unassisted goal. East countered on a Sergei Kostitsyn goal, coming off of Mozyakin and Lee. West shot back on another Kovalchuk goal, guided in by Bailen and Moses. East kept the deficit at 6-5 after the first period on a Mike Lundin goal, set up by Nigel Dawes and Kugryshev.

In the second period, the first goal was by the West's Andrei Mironov, passed from Wolski and Nikita Zaitsev. East replied on a Yury Petrov goal made possible by Azevedo and Gustafsson, and then tied it on a Kostitsyn goal from Gusev. East took the lead with a Kugryshev goal courtesy of Dawes and Parshin, and extended the lead with a Mozyakin goal, guided in by Lee and Kostitsyn. The goalie swap happened at the midway point of the period, with Stanislav Galimov taking over for Yeryomenko while Alexander Salak relieved Kovar. East padded the lead on a Zaripov goal, with assists from Kirill Koltsov and Kostitsyn. West edged back in with a Sergei Plotnikov goal, fueled by Dmitry Kagarlitsky and Andre Petersson. East answered with a Mozyakin goal, completing his hat trick with the help of Zaripov. West countered with a Moses goal, set up by Igor Grigorenko and Kovalchuk. East put the score at 12-9 in their favor at the end of the second period with a Dawes goal, with helpers by Kugryshev and Parshin.

West chipped back in the third period on a Pascal Pelletier goal, with a lone assist by Shipachyov. East answered on an unassisted Gusev goal. West mounted a tying rally on a Kovalchuk goal (securing him a hat trick) from Bailen, a Plotnikov goal via Kagarlitsky, and a Grigorenko equalizer with a lone helper by Kovalchuk. East shot back on a Mozyakin goal, assisted by Koltsov and Zaripov. West tied it again when Kovalchuk matched Mozyakin with his fourth of the game, passed from Grigorenko. East pulled away with a Parshin goal guided in by Dawes, an Azevedo goal via Gusev, and a Mozyakin goal, his fifth of the game, helped along by Zaripov. West got one back on a Moses goal, coming off of Grigorenko. East answered when Mozyakin completed a second hat trick, thanks to Zaripov and Koltsov. West got the last laugh on a penalty shot goal by Wolski after hooking by Ilya Nikulin, but the final favored East 18-16. The three stars were Mozyakin, Kovalchuk, and Zaripov.

Along to the other All-Star game from Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, where the NHL's Team Foligno hosts Team Toews. Roberto Luongo and Carey Price draw the starts in goal. Foligno began with a Radim Vrbata goal, set up by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Toews tied it on a Ryan Getzlaf goal, helped along by Vladimir Tarasenko and Justin Faulk. Toews took the lead on a Jakub Voracek goal, guided in by the captain Toews and Aaron Ekblad. Foligno tied it with a Ryan Johansen goal, via the captain Foligno and Kevin Shattenkirk. Toews retook the lead with a Patrice Bergeron goal, coming off of Tyler Seguin and Patrik Elias. Foligno retied it as Shattenkirk scored, thanks to Nugent-Hopkins and Vrbata. Foligno pulled ahead on another Johansen goal, fueled by Alex Ovechkin and Dustin Byfuglien. Toews evened it at 4-4, which remained through the end of the first period, as John Tavares scored, with the help of Bergeron and Ekblad. Fall Out Boy entertained during the first intermission with their songs Centuries and My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark (Light 'Em Up).

The second period goalies were Jaroslav Halak and Marc-Andre Fleury. Toews gained the lead on a Ryan Suter goal, fueled by Tarasenko and Seguin. Foligno quickly retied it as Claude Giroux scored, with a lone helper by Patrick Kane. Toews gained the lead again on a Seguin goal, via Getzlaf and Tarasenko, the latter getting the game's first sock trick. Foligno again equalized with a Steven Stamkos goal, on a lone assist by Duncan Keith. Toews went on a scoring run with the following sequence: a Rick Nash goal coming off of the captain Toews and Voracek, a Filip Forsberg goal passed from Johnny Gaudreau and Elias, Tavares' second of the game assisted by Bergeron and Faulk, and Voracek's second of the game made possible by the captain Toews and Ekblad, both of whom got sock tricks. Foligno got two back with a goal by the captain Foligno helped along by Johansen and Ovechkin and a second goal by Stamkos with the only assist credited to Bobby Ryan. Toews got one back late on a Tavares goal, securing his hat trick, while his set up man Bergeron earned a sock trick on the only assist. Toews took an 11-8 lead into the second intermission. O.A.R. played the second intermission with their songs Love and Memories and Two Hands Up.

The game came down to Corey Crawford and Brian Elliott in the blue paint. Toews extended their lead with a Nash goal, his second of the game, assisted by Mark Giordano and Voracek. Foligno answered with a Kane goal, helped along by Giroux and Drew Doughty. Toews padded the lead with Tavares' fourth of the game, via Bergeron and Brent Seabrook, and a Voracek hat-trick-clinching hoal made possible by the captain Toews and Ekblad. Foligno replied on a Ryan goal, with helpers from Stamkos and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Toews countered on a Seguin goal, his second of the game, driven in by Tarasenko and Shea Weber. Foligno replied with a Kane goal, his second of the game, courtesy of Brent Burns and Giroux. Toews squashed the comeback with a goal by the captain Toews from Suter and Forsberg's second of the game, guided in by Gaudreau and Voracek, the latter getting a sock trick to go with his earlier hat trick. Foligno got one back with a Burns goal, pushed through by Ovechkin, who got a sock trick, and Johansen. This produced the 17-12 final in favor of Toews. The three stars went to Voracek, Toews, and Tavares.

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