2015-16 NHL Season - Day 73

Ten games on today, beginning with two matinees. The first is from...

Buffalo, as the Sabres host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Chad Johnson are set to start in goal. Chicago opened in the first period on a Dennis Rasmussen goal, his third of the season, passed from Michal Rozsival. Buffalo tied it in the second period as Cody Franson scored his third of the year, guided in by Jack Eichel and Evander Kane. The Sabres took the lead in the third period on a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Sam Reinhart and Jake McCabe. The Blackhawks tied it again with a Patrick Kane power play goal, his twentieth of the year, powered by Artemi Panarin and Duncan Keith. In the shootout, Patrick Kane had the lone tally for a 3-2 Chicago. The three stars went to Patrick Kane, O'Reilly, and Rasmussen.

Over in St. Louis, the Blues welcome the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Brian Elliott are the average goalies. St. Louis struck first on a Vladimir Tarasenko goal, his twenty-first of the season, courtesy of Carl Gunnarsson and Alexander Steen. The Blues added on with a Colton Parayko goal, his sixth of the year, via Tarasenko. St. Louis extended the lead as Jori Lehtera scored his fourth of the season in the second period, thanks to Steen and Tarasenko. Calgary got on the board with a third period Sean Monahan goal, his twelfth of the year, assisted by Mark Giordano and Josh Jooris. The Flames pulled closer on a Giordano goal, his seventh of the campaign, guided in by Mikael Backlund and David Jones. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Tarasenko, Giordano, and Steen.

At the usual time, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Dallas Stars. Antti Niemi and Mike Condon draw the starts. Dallas started in the first period on a Jason Spezza goal, his twelfth of the season, via Ales Hemsky. The Stars added on with a second period Jamie Benn goal, his twenty-first of the year, going in unassisted. Dallas extended the lead on a Patrick Sharp power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Tyler Seguin and Spezza. Montreal got on the board with a Daniel Carr goal, his second of the year, coming on the power play from Tomas Fleischmann and P.K. Subban. The Stars replied as Seguin scored his eighteenth of the season, thanks to Alex Goligoski and Benn. Dallas padded the lead on a Benn power play goal in the third period, his second of the game and twenty-second of the year, helped along by Sharp and Spezza. The Canadiens answered with a shorthanded goal by Paul Byron, his fifth of the season, set up by Brian Flynn. The Stars countered on a Patrick Eaves power play goal, his second of the year, with a lone assist by Vernon Fiddler. The final held at 6-2, with the three stars being Benn, Spezza, and Seguin, while Sharp gets an honorable mention.

Down in New Jersey, the Devils host the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen faces a lesser foe in Keith Kinkaid in goal. Anaheim was first to score in the first period on a Chris Stewart goal, his sixth of the season, with a lone helper by Kevin Bieksa. The Ducks added on with a Ryan Kesler goal, his fourth of the year, via Corey Perry. New Jersey got on the board with a Mike Cammalleri goal in the third period, his twelfth of the campaign, guided in by Lee Stempniak and Damon Severson. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars given to Andersen (21 for 22 in saves), Kesler, and Stewart.

West to Pittsburgh, with the Penguins welcoming Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Matthew Murray are given the starting nods. Carolina led off in the first period on a Jordan Staal power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Justin Faulk and Victor Rask. The Hurricanes added on with a John-Michael Liles power play goal, fueled by Brett Pesce. Pittsburgh got on the board in the second period with an Evgeni Malkin power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, with assists provided by Trevor Daley and Sidney Crosby. This was it for the scoring, with the final at 2-1. The three stars were Ward (37 for 38 in saves), Liles, and Staal.

Back in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs bring in the Los Angeles Kings. Jhonas Enroth and Jonathan Bernier are in the blue paint. Toronto began in the first period on a Leo Komarov goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from Matt Hunwick and Michael Grabner. The Maple Leafs added on with a Grabner goal in the third period, his third of the year, via Nazem Kadri and Hunwick. Toronto extended the lead as Grabner scored his second of the game and fourth of the season, assisted by Kadri and Komarov. The Maple Leafs padded the lead as Komarov scored his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, with the help of Morgan Rielly and Grabner. Toronto iced it at 5-0 on a Bryan Froese goal, fueled by Brad Boyes and Shawn Matthias. The three stars went to Grabner, Komarov, and Bernier (26 save shutout), while Kadri and Hunwick get the honorable mentions.

Stateside, the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve Mason and Joonas Korpisalo are in the creases. Columbus drew first blood in the first period on a Brandon Saad goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Brandon Dubinsky and Kevin Connauton. The Blue Jackets added on in the second period with a Ryan Murray power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Nick Foligno and Scott Hartnell. Philadelphia got on the board in the third period on a Scott Laughton goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Matt Read and Nick Schultz. The Flyers tied it on a Jakub Voracek goal, his third of the year, assisted by Sean Couturier and Shayne Gostisbehere. In the shootout, Cam Atkinson and Dubinsky topped Wayne Simmonds to give Columbus the 3-2 win. The three stars went to Mason (35 for 37 in saves), Dubinsky, and Korpisalo (30 for 32 in saves).

Down to Nashville, with the Predators welcoming the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Pekka Rinne guard the cages. Nashville got started on a Filip Forsberg goal, his seventh of the season, via Shea Weber and Mike Ribeiro. The Predators added on with a Ribeiro power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Weber and Roman Josi. Nashville extended the lead in the second period as James Neal scored his thirteenth of the season, thanks to Calle Jarnkrok and Viktor Arvidsson. Minnesota got on the board with a Zach Parise goal, his eleventh of the year, coming off of Marco Scandella and Mikael Granlund. The Wild got closer in the third period on a Jason Zucker goal, his eighth of the campaign, with a lone helper by Mikko Koivu. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Ribeiro, Weber, and Neal.

Southwest to Arizona, with the Coyotes bringing in the New York Islanders. Jaroslav Halak faces a lesser foe in Louis Domingue in goal. Arizona dented the scoreboard on a first period goal by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, his seventh of the season, passed from Anthony Duclair and Tobias Rieder. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the three stars being Domingue (25 save shutout), Ekman-Larsson, and Halak (28 for 29 in saves).

Finally, the Colorado Avalanche host the Edmonton Oilers. Anders Nilsson and Semyon Varlamov are the reliable goalies. Colorado got going in the first period on a shorthanded goal by Blake Comeau, his fifth of the season, set up by Carl Soderberg and Erik Johnson. The Avalanche added on with a Tyson Barrie power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. Colorado extended the lead in the second period as Nick Holden scored his third of the season, thanks to John Mitchell. Edmonton got on the board in the third period on an Andrej Sekera goal, his fourth of the year, passed from Taylor Hall and Leon Draisaitl. The Avalanche replied with a Jarome Iginla goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Alex Tanguay. Colorado padded the lead on a Jack Skille goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Cody McLeod and Barrie. This made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars handed to Barrie, Varlamov (39 for 40 in saves), and Comeau.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 72

Six games on tonight, beginning with...

The Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Cam Ward are the veterans in goal. Florida dented the scoreboard in the third period on a Willie Mitchell goal, coming off of Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers iced it at 2-0 with an unassisted empty net goal by Reilly Smith, his eleventh of the campaign. The three stars went to Luongo (24 save shutout), Mitchell, and Ward (16 for 17 in saves).

Up in Pittsburgh, the Penguins welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask faces a lesser foe in Jeff Zatkoff in goal. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Conor Sheary goal, made possible by Sidney Crosby. Boston tied it on a Frank Vatrano goal, his third of the season, assisted by Ryan Spooner and Landon Ferraro. The Bruins took the lead in the second period on a shorthanded goal by Patrice Bergeron, his tenth of the year, set up by Brad Marchand. The Penguins tied it on a Trevor Daley goal, via Crosby and Sheary. Boston took the lead back on a Loui Eriksson power play goal, his twelfth of the campaign, powered by Spooner and David Krejci. The Bruins added on with a Bergeron goal in the third period, his second of the game and eleventh of the season, coming off of Zdeno Chara and Marchand. Boston extended the lead as Vatrano scored his second of the game and fourth of the year, thanks to Spooner, who got a sock trick, and Jimmy Hayes. The Bruins iced it at 6-2 with a Vatrano goal, completing his hat trick on his fifth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Spooner. The three stars went to Vatrano, Bergeron, and Spooner, while Sheary, Crosby, and Marchand get the honorable mentions.

Over to DC, where the Washington Capitals bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Braden Holtby guard the cages. Tampa Bay led off in the first period on an Alex Killorn goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Jonathan Marchessault and Braydon Coburn. The Lightning added on in the second period with an Andrej Sustr goal, passed from Nikita Kucherov. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Steven Stamkos scored his twelfth of the year, thanks to Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman. Philipp Grubauer replaced Holtby in goal. Washington got on the board with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by T.J. Oshie and John Carlson. The Capitals pulled closer on an unassisted Oshie goal in the third period, his eleventh of the year. Washington tied it on an Ovechkin power play goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, via Jason Chimera and Justin Williams. The Capitals gained the lead on a Marcus Johansson power play goal, his sixth of the year, made possible by Oshie and Ovechkin. Washington iced it at 5-3 with an Oshie empty net goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the campaign, set up by Nicklas Backstrom and Ovechkin. The three stars were awarded to Ovechkin, Oshie, and Johansson.

Along to Detroit, with the Red Wings hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller and Jimmy Howard are the experienced goalies. Vancouver struck first in the first period on a Jared McCann goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Jannik Hansen. The Canucks added on in the second period with a Sven Baertschi goal, his third of the year, assisted by Bo Horvat and Radim Vrbata. Detroit got on the board with a Joakim Andersson goal, passed from Danny DeKeyser and Luke Glendening. The Red Wings tied it on a Pavel Datsyuk goal, his third of the season, coming off of Brendan Smith and Alexey Marchenko in the third period. Vancouver took the lead back on a Vrbata goal, his tenth of the year, with helpers provided by Christopher Tanev and Baertschi. Detroit tied it with a Henrik Zetterberg goal, his sixth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Datsyuk. The tie went to a shootout, where Vrbata was matched by Brad Richards before Linden Vey scored to give the Canucks a 4-3 win. The three stars went to Vrbata, Datsyuk, and Baertschi.

In Ontario, the Ottawa Senators welcome the San Jose Sharks. Alex Stalock and Craig Anderson draw the starts in goal. San Jose got going in the second period on a Joe Thornton power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski. Ottawa tied it on an unassisted Bobby Ryan goal, his eleventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Senators took the lead on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau goal in the third period, his ninth of the campaign, passed from Dave Dziurzynski and Cody Ceci. Ottawa added on as Chris Wideman scored his fourth of the season, with the help of Curtis Lazar and Shane Prince. The Senators extended the lead as Erik Karlsson scored his eighth of the year, assisted by Mike Hoffman and Ryan. The Sharks got one back with an unassisted Burns goal, his twelfth of the campaign. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars handed to Ryan, Burns, and Wideman.

Finally, the Winnipeg Jets bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Connor Hellebuyck are the masked men. Winnipeg was first to score in the first period on a Bryan Little goal, his eleventh of the season, via Blake Wheeler. The Jets added on with a Little goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the year, courtesy of Wheeler and Andrew Ladd. New York got on the board with a J.T. Miller goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Kevin Hayes and Keith Yandle. Winnipeg replied with a Dustin Byfuglien goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Mark Scheifele. The Rangers answered on a Dan Boyle power play goal in the second period, his third of the season, powered by Ryan McDonagh and Derick Brassard. The Jets countered with a Tyler Myers goal, his third of the year, helped along by Wheeler, who got a sock trick, and Little. Winnipeg iced it at 5-2 with a Ladd empty net goal in the third period, his ninth of the campaign, set up by Wheeler. The three stars were handed to Little, Wheeler, and Ladd.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 71

Eleven games lead off the day’s schedule, beginning with…

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Chad Johnson are the little-known goalies. Buffalo got going in the second period on an Evander Kane goal, his seventh of the season, passed from Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart. The Sabres added on with a Jake McCabe goal, his third of the year, courtesy of Cal O’Reilly and Nicolas Deslauriers. Buffalo extended the lead as Jamie McGinn scored his seventh of the campaign, set up by Rasmus Ristolainen and Josh Gorges. This made it 3-0, the final, with the three stars going to Johnson (44 save shutout), Kane, and McCabe.

Over in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Florida Panthers. Al Montoya is mismatched with Cory Schneider in goal. Florida led off in the first period on a Jussi Jokinen goal, his seventh of the season, a power play goal powered by Brandon Pirri and Vincent Trocheck. The Panthers added on with a Dmitry Kulikov goal, coming off of Jaromir Jagr and Brian Campbell. Florida extended the lead as Pirri scored his seventh of the year, thanks to Corban Knight and Logan Shaw in the second period. The Panthers padded the lead on a third period Reilly Smith goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Trocheck and Jokinen. New Jersey got on the board with a Sergey Kalinin goal, his fourth of the year, guided in by Kyle Palmieri and David Schlemko on the power play. Florida iced it at 5-1 with a Shaw empty net goal, his third of the campaign, set up by Pirri and Knight. The three stars were Pirri, Jokinen, and Trocheck, while Knight and Shaw get the honorable mentions.

Back into Philadelphia, where the Flyers bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and Steve Mason are the middling goalies. Philadelphia opened in the first period on a Michael Raffl goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Evgeny Medvedev and Matt Read. The Flyers added on with a Sean Couturier goal in the third period, his fifth of the year, helped along by Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek. The three stars were handed to Mason (36 save shutout), Raffl, and Couturier.

Into Canada, where the Montreal Canadiens host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Mike Condon draw the starts in goal. Los Angeles dented the scoreboard on a Drew Doughty goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Tyler Toffoli. The Kings added on with an Anze Kopitar goal, his ninth of the year, passed from Doughty and Marian Gaborik. Los Angeles extended the lead in the third period as Gaborik scored an empty net goal, his seventh of the campaign, set up by Milan Lucic. The three stars of the 3-0 game belonged to Doughty, Quick (45 save shutout), and Gaborik.

In Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Garret Sparks are the young goalies. San Jose started in the first period on a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Brent Burns and Patrick Marleau. The Sharks added on with a Marleau power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, made possible by Pavelski and Burns. Jonathan Bernier relieved Sparks at this time. Toronto got on the board with a Peter Holland goal, his fifth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Daniel Winnik. The Maple Leafs took the lead on a Leo Komarov goal, his eleventh of the season, passed from Frank Corrado and Nazem Kadri. Toronto took the lead with a James van Riemsdyk goal, his tenth of the year, fueled by P.A. Parenteau and Tyler Bozak. The Maple Leafs extended their lead on a Michael Grabner goal, his second of the campaign, helped along by Holland and Winnik. San Joe pulled back as Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Justin Braun. The Sharks tied it on a Matt Nieto goal, his fourth of the year, with helpers from Chris Tierney and Joonas Donskoi. San Jose won 5-4 with a Burns goal in overtime, his eleventh of the campaign, guided in by Thornton and Pavelski. The three stars were handed to Burns, Pavelski, and Marleau, while Holland and Winnik get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the St. Louis Blues bring in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Jake Allen tend the twines. Nashville was first to score in the first period on a Roman Josi power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Filip Forsberg and Shea Weber. St. Louis tied it on a David Backes goal in the third period, his tenth of the year, via Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Blues took the lead on a Vladimir Tarasenko goal, his twentieth of the campaign, coming off of Alexander Steen and Paul Stastny. This held for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Allen (27 for 28 in saves), Tarasenko, and Rinne (31 for 33 in saves).

North to Minnesota, with the Wild hosting the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Devan Dubnyk are the masked men. Minnesota began in the first period on a Mikko Koivu goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Thomas Vanek and Zach Parise. The Wild added on with a Matt Dumba goal in the second period, his fifth of the year, coming on the power play from Nino Niederreiter and Mikael Granlund. New York got on the board with a Dominic Moore goal, his third of the season, via Emerson Etem and Tanner Glass. Minnesota replied in the third period on a Jason Pominville power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Koivu and Ryan Suter. The Wild extended the lead as Chris Porter scored his second of the season, thanks to Justin Fontaine and Suter. Antti Raanta finished the game instead of Lundqvist. The Rangers got one back on a Ryan McDonagh goal, his fifth of the year, with helpers from J.T. Miller and Jesper Fast. Minnesota iced it at 5-2 with a Koivu goal, his eighth of the campaign and second of the game, assisted by Ryan Carter and Charlie Coyle. The three stars went to Koivu, Suter, and Pominville.

Back south, the Chicago Blackhawks welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Corey Crawford are in the creases. Chicago struck first in the first period on a Jonathan Toews goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Marian Hossa and Teuvo Teravainen. The Blackhawks added on with a Teravainen goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Toews and Hossa. Chicago extended the lead as Teravainen scored his second of the game and eighth of the season, thanks to Hossa, who got a sock trick, and Toews. The Blackhawks iced it at 4-0 with an Artemi Panarin goal, his tenth of the year, passed from Brent Seabrook and Patrick Kane. The three stars went to Teravainen, Toews, and Hossa, while Crawford (33 save shutout) gets an honorable mention.

Down in Dallas, the Stars bring in the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Kari Lehtonen are the Finnish goalies. Dallas drew first blood on a shorthanded goal by Johnny Oduya, his fourth of the season, set up by Vernon Fiddler. Calgary tied it on a Sean Monahan goal, his eleventh of the year, coming off of Johnny Gaudreau and Kris Russell. The Flames took the lead on a Dougie Hamilton goal, his fourth of the season, passed from Joe Colborne and Matt Stajan. Calgary added on with a Mason Raymond goal in the second period, his third of the year, helped along by Mikael Backlund. This made it 3-1, the eventual final, with the three stars going to Ramo (35 for 36 in saves), Hamilton, and Monahan.

Northwest to Denver, as the Colorado Avalanche welcome the New York Islanders. Thomas Greiss and Semyon Varlamov are the goalies. Colorado opened in the first period with a Francois Beauchemin goal, his fourth of the season, via Andreas Martinsen. New York tied it on a Brock Nelson power play goal in the second period, his eleventh of the year, powered by Marek Zidlicky and Mikhail Grabovski. The Avalanche retook the lead on a Beauchemin goal in the third period, his second of the game and fifth of the campaign, made possible by Carl Soderberg and Blake Comeau. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Beauchemin, Varlamov (33 for 34 in saves), and Greiss (28 for 30 in saves).

Finally, the Arizona Coyotes bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis McElhinney and Anders Lindback are the poor goalies. Columbus started with a Brandon Saad goal, his eleventh of the season, via Alexander Wennberg and Scott Hartnell. The Blue Jackets added on with a Matt Calvert goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Cam Atkinson and Kevin Connauton. Arizona got on the board with an unassisted Antoine Vermette goal, his fourth of the season. The Coyotes tied it in the second period on a Viktor Tikhonov power play goal, powered by Jordan Martinook and Michael Stone. Arizona pulled ahead on a Tobias Rieder goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Vermette and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Columbus retied it on a Wennberg goal, his second of the season, guided in by Saad. The Blue Jackets took the lead on an Atkinson goal, his tenth of the year, with a lone assist by the goalie McElhinney. Louis Domingue replaced Lindback in goal. The Coyotes retied it with a Martinook goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Shane Doan. Columbus gained the lead again on a Nick Foligno goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Saad. The Blue Jackets extended the lead as David Clarkson scored, with the help of Hartnell and Boone Jenner. Arizona answered on Rieder’s second of the game and eighth of the season, with assists provided by Nicklas Grossmann and Mikkel Boedker. Columbus finished it at 7-5 with an empty net goal by Brandon Dubinsky, his sixth of the year, set up by Wennberg and Atkinson. The three stars went to Saad, Atkinson, and Rieder, while Wennberg, Hartnell, Vermette, and Martinook get honorable mentions.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 70

Just two games on a light day today, beginning with...

The Washington Capitals welcoming the Ottawa Senators in a battle of each nation's capital city teams. Andrew Hammond and Braden Holtby draw the starts in goal. Washington opened in the first period on a Michael Latta goal, his second of the season, coming off of Dmitry Orlov and Taylor Chorney. The Capitals added on with a John Carlson second period goal, his sixth of the year, via Justin Williams and Latta. Ottawa got on the board with a third period power play goal by Bobby Ryan, his tenth of the campaign, powered by Kyle Turris and Erik Karlsson. This final stood from here at 2-1, with the three stars going to Latta, Holtby (26 for 27 in saves), and Carlson.

Over in Boston, the Bruins bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins for the day's other game. Jeff Zatkoff is mismatched with Tuukka Rask in goal. Boston started in the first period with a Max Talbot goal, assisted by Adam McQuaid and Jimmy Hayes. The Bruins added on with a Hayes goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Ryan Spooner and Colin Miller. Boston iced it at 3-0 on a Spooner empty net power play goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Patrice Bergeron and Loui Eriksson. The three stars were Rask (34 save shutout), Hayes, and Spooner.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 69

Eleven games on tonight, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider faces a lesser foe in Linus Ullmark in goal. New Jersey got going in the second period on a Lee Stempniak goal, his eighth of the season, via Mike Cammalleri and Adam Henrique. The Devils added on with a Jiri Tlusty goal in the third period, his second of the year, with a lone assist from Kyle Palmieri. This stood for a 2-0 final, with the three stars being Schneider (25 save shutout), Stempniak, and Tlusty.

Over in Brooklyn, the New York Islanders welcome the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Jaroslav Halak guard the cages. Florida dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Reilly Smith goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Dylan Olsen and Jussi Jokinen. The Panthers added on with an unassisted Aleksander Barkov goal, his seventh of the year. New York got on the board with a Brock Nelson goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Marek Zidlicky and Mikhail Grabovski. Florida got it back on an Aaron Ekblad goal, his seventh of the year, helped along by Brandon Pirri and Barkov. The Panthers extended the lead as Vincent Trocheck scored his ninth of the season, thanks to Jokinen and Smith. Florida padded the lead on a shorthanded and empty net Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Barkov. The final was 5-1, with the three stars awarded to Barkov, Luongo (33 for 34 in saves), and Smith, while Jokinen receives an honorable mention.

Staying in New York, the Rangers bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Anders Nilsson is mismatched with Henrik Lundqvist in goal. New York led off in the first period as Mats Zuccarello scored his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Keith Yandle and Rick Nash. Edmonton tied it in the second period with a Taylor Hall power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Leon Draisaitl and Teddy Purcell. The Rangers took the lead on a Dylan McIlrath goal, coming off of Yandle and Dominic Moore. The Oilers tied it again on a Jordan Eberle goal, his eighth of the season, helped along by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. New York regained the lead on a Nash power play goal, his tenth of the year, assisted by Zuccarello and Derick Brassard. The Rangers iced it at 4-2 with a Jesper Fast empty net goal, his fifth of the campaign, set up by Moore and Viktor Stalberg. The three stars went to Zuccarello, Nash, and Yandle, while Moore gets an honorable mention.

West a bit to Philadelphia, with the Flyers hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Eddie Lack and Michal Neuvirth man the creases. Carolina was first to score in the first period on a Jeff Skinner goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Phillip Di Giuseppe and Jaccob Slavin. Philadelphia tied it on a second period Jakub Voracek goal, his second of the year, courtesy of Radko Gudas and Sean Couturier. The Hurricanes retook the lead on another Skinner goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the season, passed from Jordan Staal and Brett Pesce. The Flyers tied it on a Brayden Schenn goal, his seventh of the year, via Michael Raffl and Shayne Gostisbehere. Philadelphia took the lead as Couturier scored his fourth of the season, helped along by Voracek and Matt Read. Carolina tied it in the third period on a Skinner goal, completing his hat trick on his fourteenth of the year, with helpers by Di Giuseppe and Justin Faulk. The Flyers won 4-3 on a Gostisbehere goal, his sixth of the campaign, set up by Voracek. The three stars went to Skinner, Voracek, and Gostisbehere, while Di Giuseppe and Couturier receive the honorable mentions.

Up in Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Dustin Tokarski are the inexperienced goalies. San Jose struck first in the first period on a Patrick Marleau goal, his twelfth of the season, guided in by Joel Ward and Justin Braun. The Sharks added on with a Joe Pavelski goal in the second period, his fourteenth of the year, with a lone assist by Braun. San Jose extended the lead as Dainius Zubrus scored, thanks to Pavelski and Joe Thornton. Mike Condon relieved Tokarski in goal. Montreal got on the board with a Dale Weise goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by P.K. Subban and Nathan Beaulieu. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars being Pavelski, Jones (26 for 27 in saves), and Braun.

Over in Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jonathan Bernier are in goal. Tampa Bay began in the first period on a Nikita Kucherov goal, his twelfth of the season, passed from Vladislav Namestnikov. Toronto tied it on a Tyler Bozak power play goal, his fifth of the year, powered by James van Riemsdyk and P.A. Parenteau. The Maple Leafs gained the lead on a Van Riemsdyk goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Bozak and Parenteau. Toronto added on with a second period goal by Morgan Rielly, his fourth of the year, with a lone helper by Leo Komarov. The Lightning got one back with an Anton Stralman goal, his third of the season, courtesy of Kucherov. Tampa Bay tied it in the third period on a Mike Blunden goal, coming off of Yanni Gourde and Andrej Sustr. The Lightning took the lead as Jonathan Marchessault scored his fourth of the year, with the help of Alex Killorn and Sustr. The Maple Leafs retied it on a Daniel Winnik goal, his third of the season, made possible by Roman Polak and Nick Spaling. Tampa Bay won 5-4 in overtime on a Namestnikov goal, his sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars went to Namestnikov, Kucherov, and van Riemsdyk, while Bozak, Parenteau, and Sustr get the honorable mentions.

Back south, the Nashville Predators host the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Pekka Rinne are the Finnish goalies. Nashville opened in the first period on a Cody Hodgson penalty shot goal, his third of the season, coming after T.J. Brodie hooked him. Calgary tied it with a second period goal by Brodie goal, his fourth of the year, made possible by Sam Bennett and Kris Russell. The Flames won 2-1 in overtime on a Russell goal, his second of the campaign, set up by Johnny Gaudreau and Dougie Hamilton. The three stars belonged to Russell, Ramo (21 for 22 in saves), and Brodie.

Into Canada again, as the Winnipeg Jets welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Connor Hellebuyck are the young studs in goal. Winnipeg started in the first period on a Mark Scheifele goal, his twelfth of the season, coming off of Tyler Myers and Mathieu Perreault. St. Louis tied it on a second period goal by Troy Brouwer, his sixth of the year, via David Backes. The Jets took the lead again with a Chris Thorburn goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Blake Wheeler and Tyler Myers. Winnipeg added on with a Drew Stafford goal, his eleventh of the year, guided in by Perreault and Scheifele. The Blues pulled back on an Alexander Steen power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Kevin Shattenkirk and Vladimir Tarasenko. St. Louis tied it in the third period as Tarasenko scored his nineteenth goal of the year on the power play, with the help of Steen and Shattenkirk. The Blues took the lead on a Paul Stastny goal, his third of the season, made possible by Tarasenko and Steen. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars given to Tarasenko, Steen, and Scheifele, while Perreault and Shattenkirk get the honorable mentions.

Stateside to Minnesota, with the Wild bringing in the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller and Darcy Kuemper occupy the creases. Minnesota drew first blood with a Thomas Vanek power play goal, his eleventh of the season, powered by Zach Parise and Jason Pominville. The Wild added on with a Jason Zucker goal, his seventh of the year, made possible by Vanek and Mikko Koivu. Minnesota extended the lead as Parise scored his tenth of the season, a power play goal fueled by Koivu and Vanek. Vancouver got on the board with a Jannik Hansen goal, his ninth of the year, via Henrik Sedin. The Wild answered as Koivu scored his sixth of the season, with the help of Vanek, who got a sock trick, and Nate Prosser. Minnesota padded the lead on a Ryan Suter power play goal, his fifth of the year, with assists provided by Parise and Koivu. The Wild continued with a Marco Scandella goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Matt Dumba and Nino Niederreiter. The Canucks got one back in the third period on a Daniel Sedin goal, his fourteenth of the year, with a lone helper by Henrik Sedin. The three stars of the 6-2 game were Vanek, Koivu, and Parise, while Henrik Sedin gets an honorable mention.

In Chicago, the Blackhawks welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Corey Crawford are the masked men. Colorado led off in the first period on a Matt Duchene goal, his sixteenth of the season, made possible by Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche added on with a Zach Redmond goal, via Blake Comeau and Francois Beauchemin. Colorado iced it at 3-0 with an empty net goal by Landeskog, his eighth of the year, set up by MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie. The three stars were handed to Varlamov (29 save shutout), Landeskog, and MacKinnon.

Finally, the Dallas Stars bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Kari Lehtonen are given the starting nods. Dallas began in the first period on a Johnny Oduya goal, his third of the season, going in unassisted. Columbus tied it on a Scott Hartnell power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Alexander Wennberg and Nick Foligno in the second period. The Stars took the lead back on an Alex Goligoski goal, his third of the season, via Ales Hemsky and Valeri Nichushkin. Dallas added on with a Tyler Seguin goal, his sixteenth of the year, made possible by John Klingberg and the goalie Lehtonen. The Stars extended the lead as Seguin scored his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, assisted by Jamie Benn and Cody Eakin. Curtis McElhinney relieved Korpisalo to start the third period. Dallas padded the lead in the third period on a Mattias Janmark goal, his seventh of the year, an unassisted goal. This made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars given to Seguin, Lehtonen (34 for 35 in saves), and Goligoski.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

2015-16 KHL Day 101/NHL Day 68

Another light day of hockey, with one KHL and five NHL games. First up...

Jokerit Helsinki hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Danny Taylor and Henrik Karlsson are in goal. Helsinki struck first in the first period on a Juhamatti Aaltonen power play goal, powered by Jere Sallinen. Jokerit added on in the second period with a Jani Rita goal, with a lone assist by Sallinen. Zagreb got on the board with a Patrick Bjorkstrand power play goal, via Edwin Hedberg. Helsinki replied in the third period on a Sallinen goal, guided in by Eetu Poysti and Atte Ohtamaa. Jokerit iced it at 4-1 with a shorthanded empty net goal by Topi Jaakola, set up by Petteri Wirtanen. The three stars were Sallinen, Karlsson (28 for 29 in saves), and Rita.

In the NHL, the Boston Bruins welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Jonas Gustavsson are the backups in goal. Edmonton opened in the first period on a Jordan Eberle goal, his seventh of the season, courtesy of Eric Gryba and Brandon Davidson. The Oilers added on with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his eighth of the year, passed from Eberle and Nikita Nikitin. Boston got on the board with a Matt Beleskey goal in the second period, his fourth of the season, made possible by David Krejci and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins tied it on a third period goal by Brad Marchand, his fifteenth of the year, assisted by Landon Ferraro and Patrice Bergeron. Edmonton won 3-2 in overtime with an Andrej Sekera goal, his third of the campaign, fueled by Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins. The three stars belonged to Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, and Talbot (47 for 49 in saves).

Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins bring in the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Marc-Andre Fleury tend the twines. Washington was first to score in the first period on a Nicklas Backstrom goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Karl Alzner and T.J. Oshie. The Capitals added on with a John Carlson goal, his fifth of the year, fueled by Jason Chimera and Jay Beagle. Pittsburgh got on the board with an Evgeni Malkin goal, his fourteenth of the season, guided in by Ben Lovejoy and Phil Kessel. Washington answered with a third period goal by Oshie, his ninth of the year, via Backstrom. The Capitals iced it at 4-1 with an Oshie power play goal, his second of the game and tenth of the campaign, powered by Backstrom. Oshie, Holtby (44 for 45 in saves), and Backstrom were awarded the three stars. 

West again to Columbus, as the Blue Jackets host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop faces a lesser foe in Joonas Korpisalo in goal. Tampa Bay dented the scoreboard with a Jonathan Marchessault goal in the second period, his third of the season, going in unassisted. Columbus tied it on a Brandon Dubinsky goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Matt Calvert and Nick Foligno. The Lightning took the lead back with a third period goal by Brian Boyle, his eighth of the season, a shorthanded goal set up by Alex Killorn. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Bishop (25 for 26 in saves), Boyle, and Marchessault.

Up in Detroit, the Red Wings welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Chad Johnson and Petr Mrazek are in the creases. Detroit got going with a Brad Richards goal in the second period, his second of the season, assisted by Pavel Datsyuk and Darren Helm. Buffalo tied it in the third period with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his eleventh of the year, helped along by Sam Reinhart. The Sabres took the lead on a Johan Larsson goal, via Mike Weber. The final held at 2-1, with the three stars going to Johnson (32 for 33 in saves), Reinhart, and O'Reilly.

The day ends with the Ottawa Senators bringing in the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Craig Anderson are the veterans in goal. Los Angeles started in the first period on a Jamie McBain goal, his second of the season, coming off of Jeff Carter and Milan Lucic. Ottawa tied it on a Mike Hoffman goal in the second period, his sixteenth of the year, fueled by Mika Zibanejad. The Senators took the lead on a Kyle Turris goal, his thirteenth of the season, via Erik Karlsson and Mark Stone. Ottawa added on with a Karlsson goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Zibanejad. The Senators extended the lead as Hoffman scored his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, thanks to Curtis Lazar. The Kings got one back on a Tyler Toffoli power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Alec Martinez and the goalie Quick. Los Angeles pulled closer in the third period on a Jake Muzzin goal, his fourth of the season, with assists provided by Lucic and Anze Kopitar. The Senators iced it at 5-3 on a Zibanejad goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Bobby Ryan and Hoffman. The three stars were Hoffman, Zibanejad, and Karlsson, while Lucic gets an honorable mention.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

2015/16 Premier League Week 16

The slate is full again, with the first of six Saturday games being...

Norwich City hosting Everton. Tim Howard and Declan Rudd are the goalies. Everton began in the fifteenth minute on a Romelu Lukaku goal, passed from Gerard Deulofeu. Norwich City tied it on a Wes Hoolahan goal in the forty-seventh minute. Norwich City had a yellow card given to Russell Martin for his stoppage time foul. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Into London, as Crystal Palace welcomes Southampton. Paulo Gazzaniga and Wayne Hennessey are the inexperienced goalies. Crystal Palace struck first in the thirty-eighth minute with a Yohan Cabaye goal, via Yannick Bolasie. This stood for a 1-0 Crystal Palace victory.

Up to Manchester City bringing in Swansea City. Lukasz Fabianski and Joe Hart are the keepers. Manchester City led off in the twenty-sixth minute with a Wilfried Bony goal, coming off of Jesus Navas. Neil Taylor of Swansea City took a yellow card for his forty-third minute foul. Manchester City received yellow cards for Bony in the fifty-eighth minute, Bacary Sagna in the sixtieth minute, and Eliaquim Mangala in the seventy-seventh minute, all for fouls. Swansea City tied it in the ninetieth minute on a Bafetimibi Gomis goal, set up by Federico Fernandez. In stoppage time, Manchester City regained the lead on a Kelechi Iheanacho goal, passed from Yaya Toure. This stood for a 2-1 win.

Back south, Sunderland hosts Watford. Heurelho Gomes and Costel Pantilimon draw the starts in goal. Watford was first to score in the fourth minute on an Odion Ighalo goal, assisted by Nyom. Sunderland had a yellow card given to Jack Rodwell for a sixtieth minute foul. The game ended 1-0 favoring Watford.

Next up, West Ham United welcomes Stoke City. Jack Butland and Adrian protect the nets. In the thirty-eighth minute, Erik Pieters of Stoke City took a yellow card for his foul. Stoke City saw a yellow card go to Ibrahim Afellay in the sixty-third minute for a foul. West Ham United had a yellow card given to Cheikhou Kouyate in the sixty-seventh minute for his foul. The final remained a scoreless 0-0 draw.

Ending the day, Bournemouth brings in Manchester United. David de Gea and Artur Boruc man the nets. Bournemouth opened in the second minute on a Junior Stanislas goal. Manchester United tied it on a Marouane Fellaini goal in the twenty-fourth minute. Andreas Pereira of Manchester United had a yellow card for his forty-first minute foul. Bournemouth retook the lead on a fifty-fourth minute goal by Joshua King, set up by Matt Ritchie. Bournemouth had yellow cards given for Harry Arter in the eighty-fourth minute and Boruc in stoppage time, for time wasting. The tactic worked, as Bournemouth won 2-1.

On Sunday, the first of three games saw Aston Villa host Arsenal. Petr Cech and Brad Guzan guard the woodwork. Arsenal started with an eighth minute penalty kick goal by Olivier Giroud. Arsenal added on in the thirty-eighth minute with an Aaron Ramsey goal, passed from Mesut Ozil. This stood for a 2-0 win for Arsenal when the game ended.

Up to Liverpool welcoming West Bromwich Albion. Boaz Myhill and Simon Mignolet are the gloved men. Liverpool got going in the twenty-first minute on a Jordan Henderson goal, via Adam Lallana. West Bromwich Albion tied it on a Craig Dawson goal in the thirtieth minute, assisted by Salomon Rondon. In the seventy-third minute, West Bromwich Albion took the lead with a Jonas Olsson goal, set up by Chris Brunt. Liverpool retied it over five minutes into stoppage time on a Divock Origi goal, courtesy of Henderson. This held up to make it a 2-2 draw.

Sunday ends with Tottenham Hotspur bringing in Newcastle United. Robert Elliot and Hugo Lloris draw the starts in goal. Newcastle United saw a yellow card for Jack Colback's thirtieth minute foul. Tottenham Hotspur dented the scoreboard with a thirty-ninth minute goal by Eric Deir, coming off of Christian Eriksen. Tottenham Hotspur saw yellow cards go to Tom Carroll in the sixty-eighth minute and Danny Rose in the seventy-third minute, both for fouls. Newcastle United tied the game in the seventy-fourth minute on an Aleksandar Mitrovic goal. Ayoze Perez of Newcastle United took a yellow card for an eightieth minute foul. Newcastle United took the lead on a Perez goal in stoppage time, via Mitrovic. This made it a 2-1 win for Newcastle United.

Finally, Leicester City host Chelsea. Thibaut Courtois and Kasper Schmeichel tend the nets. Leicester City drew first blood with a thirty-fourth minute Jamie Vardy goal, passed from Riyad Mahrez. In the forty-sixth minute, Vardy took a yellow card for his foul for Leicester City. Leicester City added on in the forty-eighth minute with a Mahrez goal, passed from Marc Albrighton. Robert Huth of Leicester City took a yellow card for a fiftieth minute foul. Chelsea got on the board with a seventy-seventh minute Loic Remy goal, assisted by Pedro. The final remained at 2-1 for Leicester City.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

2015-16 KHL Day 100/NHL Day 67

Hockey is having a slow day today, with just four total games in the two leagues. The first game is in...

Latvia, where the KHL's Dinamo Riga hosts Dinamo Minsk. Jeff Glass and Joacim Eriksson make the starts in goal. Minsk led off in the first period on an Andrei Stepanov goal, coming off of Alexei Kalyuzhny. Minsk added on with a Stepanov power play goal, his second of the game, powered by Kalyuzhny and Alexander Materukhin. Riga got on the board with a Mikelis Redlihs goal in the second period, passed from Vitalijs Pavlovs. Riga tied it with a Tim Sestito goal, courtesy of Miks Indrasis and Kristaps Sotnieks. Minsk gained the lead on the power play goal by Ryan Vesce, guided in by Matt Ellison. Minsk extended the lead as Ellison scored a power play goal in the third period, assisted by Vesce and Ryan Gunderson. Riga pulled back on a Gunars Skvorcovs goal, made possible by Sestito and Indrasis. Minsk iced it at 5-3 with a Kalyuzhny empty net goal, set up by Ellison. The three stars went to Stepanov, Ellison, and Vesce, while Kalyuzhny, Sestito, and Indrasis get the honorable mentions.

In the NHL, the New York Islanders welcome the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider and Thomas Greiss are the goalies. New York began in the first period with a Marek Zidlicky goal, his second of the season, via Mikhail Grabovski and Josh Bailey. The Islanders added on with a John Tavares goal, his thirteenth of the year, assisted by Kyle Okposo and Brock Nelson. New York extended the lead as Matt Martin scored his third of the season in the second period, thanks to Casey Cizikas and Calvin de Haan. Keith Kinkaid replaced Schneider. The Islanders padded the lead on a Zidlicky goal, his second of the game and third of the year, helped along by Thomas Hickey and Steve Bernier. This made it 4-0, the final, with the three stars given to Greiss (27 save shutout), Zidlicky, and Tavares.

West to St. Louis, with the Blues bringing in the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Jake Allen are in the creases. Colorado opened in the first period on a Jack Skille goal, his third of the season, made possible by Mikhail Grigorenko. The Avalanche added on with a John Mitchell goal, his seventh of the year, passed from Alex Tanguay and Brandon Gormley. St. Louis got on the board with a third period Vladimir Tarasenko goal, his eighteenth of the season, assisted by Paul Stastny and David Backes. Colorado capped it at 3-1 with a Carl Soderberg empty net goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Varlamov (42 for 43 in saves), Mitchell, and Skille.

Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks host the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller and Corey Crawford protect the nets. Chicago started on a Duncan Keith power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Artemi Panarin and Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks added on with a Dennis Rasmussen goal, his second of the year, guided in by Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw. Chicago extended the lead as Shaw scored his fifth of the season, an empty net goal, set up by Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Blackhawks padded the lead on a Brandon Mashinter goal, coming off of Trevor Daley and Rasmussen. The three stars of the 4-0 game were Crawford (30 save shutout), Shaw, and Rasmussen.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.