Monday, December 6, 2010
Song of the Week II
This week's song of the week is a track off of James Blunt's debut album, called Tears and Rain. It's the fifth track on the album, a good tune about how life goes. Blunt is classified under pop, with an alternative sound coming out sometimes. His first album featured hits such as You're Beautiful and Goodbye My Lover. So check this out, especially Tears and Rain, it's a good song. This feature will be run again at the same time next Monday.
Week 8 Fantasy Hockey All-Stars
Another edition of All-Stars on the ice, which were the following players
Center: Sidney Crosby, 5 goals, 1 assist, +4, 2 penalty minutes, 1 power play point, 14 shots on goal
Left Wing: Tomas Kopecky, 1 goal, 4 assists, +3, 4 penalty minutes, 2 power play points, 9 shots on goal
Right Wing: Jarome Iginla, 2 goals, 3 assists, +1, 2 penalty minutes, 1 power play point, 16 shots on goal
Defenseman: Roman Hamrlik, 1 goal, 4 assists, +2, 6 penalty minutes, 1 power play point, 8 shots on goal
Goaltender: Ryan Miller, 2 wins, 0.00 goals against average, 51 saves, 1.000 save percentage, 2 shutouts
Those are the best players to have in the past week. A couple of surprises on there, with Kopecky and Hamrlik putting up unexpected numbers. Another of these will come out next week, in the meantime I'll go post a Song of the Week.
Center: Sidney Crosby, 5 goals, 1 assist, +4, 2 penalty minutes, 1 power play point, 14 shots on goal
Left Wing: Tomas Kopecky, 1 goal, 4 assists, +3, 4 penalty minutes, 2 power play points, 9 shots on goal
Right Wing: Jarome Iginla, 2 goals, 3 assists, +1, 2 penalty minutes, 1 power play point, 16 shots on goal
Defenseman: Roman Hamrlik, 1 goal, 4 assists, +2, 6 penalty minutes, 1 power play point, 8 shots on goal
Goaltender: Ryan Miller, 2 wins, 0.00 goals against average, 51 saves, 1.000 save percentage, 2 shutouts
Those are the best players to have in the past week. A couple of surprises on there, with Kopecky and Hamrlik putting up unexpected numbers. Another of these will come out next week, in the meantime I'll go post a Song of the Week.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Sunday Night Football, Week 13
The last game of the day, being played in Baltimore, Maryland, where the Ravens host division rivals from Pittsburgh, the Steelers. Baltimore struck relatively early with Joe Flacco connecting with Anquan Boldin for 14 yards, which was followed by a Billy Cundiff extra point. This 7-0 score would last throughout the second quarter and into the third until Shaun Suisham kicked a 45 yard field goal to make it 7-3 Ravens. Cundiff responded for Baltimore with a 24 yard field goal. Suisham added a 19 yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The Steelers then took a lead on Ben Roethilsberger's 9 yard touchdown pass to Isaac Redman. Suisham made it 13-10, which proved to be the final score. Pittsburgh improved to 9-3 while knocking the Ravens down to 8-4.
Tune in tomorrow for the AFC East game on Monday Night Football, featuring the New York Jets and New England Patriots.
Tune in tomorrow for the AFC East game on Monday Night Football, featuring the New York Jets and New England Patriots.
NFL Week 13 Late Games recap
There were five late games today, and we start in an AFC West battle between
The visiting Oakland Raiders and hosting San Diego Chargers. Jason Campbell opened the scoring for the Black and Silver, with a 9 yard touchdown rush, followed by a Sebastian Janikowski extra point. Campbell went to the air to find another touchdown, connecting with Jacoby Ford late in the first quarter, good for 4 yards, followed by Janikowski's extra point. San Diego finally entered the scoring game with Nate Kaeding's 39 yard field goal. Michael Bush answered by rushing 7 yards for a touchdown, followed by a Janikowski extra point. The Raiders took the 21-3 lead into halftime. Kaeding kicked a 33 yard field goal in the third quarter before Philip Rivers passed to Antonio Gates for four yards and the touchdown. Kaeding added the extra point to make it 21-13. Darren McFadden put the game out of reach by adding a 7 yard touchdown run to the Raiders scoring, followed by Janikowski's extra point to present the final score of Raiders 28, Chargers 13. Oakland improved to 6-6, while San Diego dropped down to 6-6.
Moving along to Tampa Bay,where the Buccaneers were playing a rare afternoon home game against the Atlanta Falcons. Michael Turner opened up the scoring, allowing the Falcons to draw first blood with his 5 yard touchdown rush. Matt Bryant added the extra point. Tampa Bay responded with LeGarrette Blount's 6 yard touchdown run and the ensuing Connor Barth extra point. The teams turned airborne for the second quarter, with Matt Ryan passing 17 yards for the touchdown to Ovie Mughelli, and Bryant added the extra point. Josh Freeman threw his own touchdown pass, a 1 yard throw to Mike Williams, which Barth followed up with the extra point. Barth added the only score in the third quarter, a 33 yard field goal to give Tampa Bay a 17-14 lead. On a pitch, Earnest Graham tossed a two yard touchdown pass to John Gilmore in the fourth quarter, which was followed by Barth's extra point. After the touchdown, Barth kicked off, and the kick was returned 102 yards by Atlanta's Eric Weems. Bryant added the extra point to make it 24-21 Buccaneers. Matt Ryan later passed to Michael Jenkins for 9 yards, and Bryant added the extra point. Tampa Bay couldn't score again, and the Falcons stole a 28-24 victory to improve to 10-2 and drop the Bucs to 7-5.
Onward to Seattle, where the Seahawks hosted the lowly Carolina Panthers. Mike Goodson rushed 6 yards for an early touchdown to get Carolina going, followed by John Kasay's extra point. Jonathan Stewart returned to his home state and got a 3 yard touchdown run as well, in the second quarter, also followed by a Kasay extra point. Olindo Mare got the Seahawks on the board before halftime with a field goal from 24 yards, carrying the 14-3 Panthers lead into the locker rooms. Marshawn Lynch put a touchdown on the board for Seattle in the third quarter, and Mare added the extra point. Soon after, Lofa Tatupu intercepted the Panthers quarterback, Jimmy Clausen, and returned it 26 yards for the touchdown, followed by a Mare extra point. Lynch had another touchdown in the third quarter and one more in the fourth, of 1 and 22 yards, respectively, both of which were followed by Mare extra points. Seattle ended up on top 31-14 in their come from behind victory, improving to 6-6, while the Panthers dropped to a league worst 1-11.
Moving into Arizona, with an NFC West matchup with somewhat important implications, as the Cardinals hosted the tied-for-first St. Louis Rams. Jay Feely got Arizona going with two field goals in the first quarter, of 45 and 41 yards. Josh Brown responded for St. Louis with three in a row, the first of which in the first quarter being 28 yards, followed by the second quarter kicks from 52 and 20 yards, giving the Rams a 9-6 lead going into halftime. Steven Jackson scored the first touchdown of the game in the third quarter, a 27 yard run to extend the Rams lead to 16-9 with Brown's extra point. Brown added on one more field goal, a 43 yard kick in the fourth quarter for good measure, and the Rams cruised to victory and a 6-6 record 19-6. Arizona fell to 3-9.
Lastly, to Indianapolis, where the Colts hosted "America's Team" (in their eyes only), the Dallas Cowboys. Tashard Choice got the Cowboys going, with a 20 yard touchdown rush, with David Buehler making the extra point, and later in the first quarter, adding his own field goal of 30 yards. They got defensive for their second quarter touchdown, with Orlando Scandrick intercepting Peyton Manning for 40 yards, with Buehler's extra point being good. Manning decided to throw one to his own team this time, finding Pierre Garcon for 13 yards, and Adam Vinatieri made the extra point. The score at halftime was 17-7 Cowboys. Manning found Reggie Wayne in the third quarter, good for 34 yards and the touchdown, and Vinatieri added another extra point. Buehler tacked on a 46 yard field goal, and then Sean Lee intercepted Manning for another defensive touchdown by Dallas. Buehler added on another extra point. The Colts got the wheels back on with Javarris James' 1 yard touchdown run, followed by a Vinatieri extra point. Indianapolis blocked a punt attempt by Mat McBriar as well, returning it for 2 yards and the touchdown thanks to Taj Smith. Vinatieri added the extra point. Jon Kitna went airborne and connected with Jason Witten for a 2 yard youchdown pass, and then Kitna completed the two point conversion to Roy Williams, giving Dallas a 35-28 lead. Javarris James rushed for two yards and the touchdown, and Vinatieri tied it at 35 with 29 seconds left in regulation with his extra point. After a few turnovers (none of which being an apple flavor) Buehler came in from his day off (what, wrong Buehler?) and kicked a game winning 38 yard field goal for the Cowboys, making it 38-35. The Cowboys improved to 4-8 and dropped the Colts down to 6-6, behind the Jaguars in their tight division race.
That's all there was for the late games, and I'll be working on the Sunday Night Football recap between the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers and the hosting Baltimore Ravens.
The visiting Oakland Raiders and hosting San Diego Chargers. Jason Campbell opened the scoring for the Black and Silver, with a 9 yard touchdown rush, followed by a Sebastian Janikowski extra point. Campbell went to the air to find another touchdown, connecting with Jacoby Ford late in the first quarter, good for 4 yards, followed by Janikowski's extra point. San Diego finally entered the scoring game with Nate Kaeding's 39 yard field goal. Michael Bush answered by rushing 7 yards for a touchdown, followed by a Janikowski extra point. The Raiders took the 21-3 lead into halftime. Kaeding kicked a 33 yard field goal in the third quarter before Philip Rivers passed to Antonio Gates for four yards and the touchdown. Kaeding added the extra point to make it 21-13. Darren McFadden put the game out of reach by adding a 7 yard touchdown run to the Raiders scoring, followed by Janikowski's extra point to present the final score of Raiders 28, Chargers 13. Oakland improved to 6-6, while San Diego dropped down to 6-6.
Moving along to Tampa Bay,where the Buccaneers were playing a rare afternoon home game against the Atlanta Falcons. Michael Turner opened up the scoring, allowing the Falcons to draw first blood with his 5 yard touchdown rush. Matt Bryant added the extra point. Tampa Bay responded with LeGarrette Blount's 6 yard touchdown run and the ensuing Connor Barth extra point. The teams turned airborne for the second quarter, with Matt Ryan passing 17 yards for the touchdown to Ovie Mughelli, and Bryant added the extra point. Josh Freeman threw his own touchdown pass, a 1 yard throw to Mike Williams, which Barth followed up with the extra point. Barth added the only score in the third quarter, a 33 yard field goal to give Tampa Bay a 17-14 lead. On a pitch, Earnest Graham tossed a two yard touchdown pass to John Gilmore in the fourth quarter, which was followed by Barth's extra point. After the touchdown, Barth kicked off, and the kick was returned 102 yards by Atlanta's Eric Weems. Bryant added the extra point to make it 24-21 Buccaneers. Matt Ryan later passed to Michael Jenkins for 9 yards, and Bryant added the extra point. Tampa Bay couldn't score again, and the Falcons stole a 28-24 victory to improve to 10-2 and drop the Bucs to 7-5.
Onward to Seattle, where the Seahawks hosted the lowly Carolina Panthers. Mike Goodson rushed 6 yards for an early touchdown to get Carolina going, followed by John Kasay's extra point. Jonathan Stewart returned to his home state and got a 3 yard touchdown run as well, in the second quarter, also followed by a Kasay extra point. Olindo Mare got the Seahawks on the board before halftime with a field goal from 24 yards, carrying the 14-3 Panthers lead into the locker rooms. Marshawn Lynch put a touchdown on the board for Seattle in the third quarter, and Mare added the extra point. Soon after, Lofa Tatupu intercepted the Panthers quarterback, Jimmy Clausen, and returned it 26 yards for the touchdown, followed by a Mare extra point. Lynch had another touchdown in the third quarter and one more in the fourth, of 1 and 22 yards, respectively, both of which were followed by Mare extra points. Seattle ended up on top 31-14 in their come from behind victory, improving to 6-6, while the Panthers dropped to a league worst 1-11.
Moving into Arizona, with an NFC West matchup with somewhat important implications, as the Cardinals hosted the tied-for-first St. Louis Rams. Jay Feely got Arizona going with two field goals in the first quarter, of 45 and 41 yards. Josh Brown responded for St. Louis with three in a row, the first of which in the first quarter being 28 yards, followed by the second quarter kicks from 52 and 20 yards, giving the Rams a 9-6 lead going into halftime. Steven Jackson scored the first touchdown of the game in the third quarter, a 27 yard run to extend the Rams lead to 16-9 with Brown's extra point. Brown added on one more field goal, a 43 yard kick in the fourth quarter for good measure, and the Rams cruised to victory and a 6-6 record 19-6. Arizona fell to 3-9.
Lastly, to Indianapolis, where the Colts hosted "America's Team" (in their eyes only), the Dallas Cowboys. Tashard Choice got the Cowboys going, with a 20 yard touchdown rush, with David Buehler making the extra point, and later in the first quarter, adding his own field goal of 30 yards. They got defensive for their second quarter touchdown, with Orlando Scandrick intercepting Peyton Manning for 40 yards, with Buehler's extra point being good. Manning decided to throw one to his own team this time, finding Pierre Garcon for 13 yards, and Adam Vinatieri made the extra point. The score at halftime was 17-7 Cowboys. Manning found Reggie Wayne in the third quarter, good for 34 yards and the touchdown, and Vinatieri added another extra point. Buehler tacked on a 46 yard field goal, and then Sean Lee intercepted Manning for another defensive touchdown by Dallas. Buehler added on another extra point. The Colts got the wheels back on with Javarris James' 1 yard touchdown run, followed by a Vinatieri extra point. Indianapolis blocked a punt attempt by Mat McBriar as well, returning it for 2 yards and the touchdown thanks to Taj Smith. Vinatieri added the extra point. Jon Kitna went airborne and connected with Jason Witten for a 2 yard youchdown pass, and then Kitna completed the two point conversion to Roy Williams, giving Dallas a 35-28 lead. Javarris James rushed for two yards and the touchdown, and Vinatieri tied it at 35 with 29 seconds left in regulation with his extra point. After a few turnovers (none of which being an apple flavor) Buehler came in from his day off (what, wrong Buehler?) and kicked a game winning 38 yard field goal for the Cowboys, making it 38-35. The Cowboys improved to 4-8 and dropped the Colts down to 6-6, behind the Jaguars in their tight division race.
That's all there was for the late games, and I'll be working on the Sunday Night Football recap between the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers and the hosting Baltimore Ravens.
NFL Week 13 Early Games recap
There were a total of eight games in the early wave today. Will recap them to the best of my ability. Sorry if these sound a bit dry, I'm not intentionally trying to be boring.
First off was the game between the visiting Cleveland Browns and the host Miami Dolphins. They went through the first quarter scoreless, and waited until well into the second before Phil Dawson kicked a 32 yard field goal. Dan Carpenter added a tying field goal for the Dolphins right before the half, good from an astounding 60 yards. Jake Delhomme completed a touchdown pass good for 3 yards to Benjamin Watson as the only score in the third quarter, with Dawson's extra point being good. Chad Henne tied it up with a touchdown pass to his tight end, Anthony Fasano, this one good for 11 yards, and the score was tied at 10 with the Carpenter extra point. Cleveland got the last laugh though, as Phil Dawson nailed a 23 yard field goal at the end of the game to win it 13-10. The Browns moved to 5-7, while the Dolphins dropped to 6-6.
The next game featured the Green Bay Packers hosting the San Francisco 49ers. San Francisco broke out their brand new kicker in Jeff Reed, with a 44 yard field goal in the first quarter, followed by a second quarter kick of 26 yards. Green Bay got on the board by Aaron Rodgers 57 yard touchdown to Greg Jennings, followed by a Mason Crosby extra point to give them the lead. John Kuhn rushed a 1 yard touchdown in for the Packers as well, followed by another extra point from Crosby. Troy Smith made a touchdown pass to Vernon Davis late in the first half good for 66 yards. Reed added the extra point to make it 14-13 Packers at the half. Rodgers connected with Donald Driver for 61 yards early in the third quarter, and Crosby added on another extra point. Reed kicked a 23 yard chip shot in for a field goal, and was answered shortly by Rodgers and Jennings hooking up for a yard and a score, with Crosby making the extra point. Crosby added a 43 and 24 yard field goal in the fourth quarter to bring the final to 34-16. Green Bay went to 8-4, while San Francisco dropped to 4-8.
The next game was between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, played in Kansas City. Matt Cassel started the scoring in the late first quarter, with a 2 yard pass to Leonard Pope, with Ryan Succop making the extra point. Matt Prater got Denver on the board with a 25 yard field goal in the second quarter, which was answered later by Succop's 47 yard kick. After an uneventful third quarter, Prater scored again for the Broncos with a 41 yard field goal early in the fourth. Denver couldn't muster any more offense though, and Kansas City held on to win 10-6. The Chiefs improved to 8-4, while Denver dropped to 3-9.
Moving along to Minnesota where the Vikings hosted the Bills from Buffalo. Buffalo struck first with an interception by Drayton Florence off of Tavaris Jackson filling in for an injured (and all-pro wheelchair football quarterback Brett Favre) good for 40 yards. Rian Lindell made the extra point. Tavaris Jackson then struck back with a 31 yard pass for a touchdown to Sidney Rice, with Ryan Longwell making the extra point. Adrian Peterson scored two second quarter touchdowns of 2 and 3 yards (improving all the time) and Longwell made both extra point, and added another after Jackson found Rice again for 6 yards. Longwell kicked a field goal just before halftime as well, good from 38 yards. After both teams took the third quarter off, Peterson visited the end zone again with a 43 yard run, with Longwell adding another extra point. Ryan Fitzpatrick found David Nelson to give the Bills some more points, obviously too little, too late, but it was a 12 yard touchdown. Lindell added the last point of the game, and the Vikings won 38-14. They improved to 5-7, while the Bills dropped to 2-10.
Moving along to Detroit, where the Lions hosted the Chicago Bears (hey, all they need is Tigers and oh my! and they've got the chant down). Detroit drew first blood with third-string quarterback Drew Stanton's 3 yard touchdown rush, and Dave Rayner's extra point. Chester Taylor responded for the Bears with a 1 yard touchdown run, and Robbie Gould added the extra point. Dave Rayner added a 50 yard field goal in the second quarter, which was answered by Matt Forte's 14 yard touchdown run and Gould's extra point. Stanton passed late in the second quarter and found Calvin Johnson for 46 yards and the touchdown, followed by Rayner's extra point. Detroit took a 17-14 lead into halftime, and Rayner extended it in the third quarter with a 25 yard field goal, which was answered by Gould with a 54 yard field goal to make it 20-17 Lions. Jay Cutler completed a fourth quarter pass of 7 yards to Brandon Manumaleuna, good for a touchdown and a 24-20 lead after Gould added the extra point. This proved to be the final, and Chicago improved to 9-3 while the Lions dropped to 2-10 (oh my!).
Onward to Tennessee and the Titans hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rashad Jennings got things going for the Jaguars, running 11 yards for the touchdown, followed by Josh Scobee's extra point. Quarterback David Garrard ran in for 4 yards in the second quarter, followed by Scobee's extra point, and Scobee also added a 26 yard field goal to give Jacksonville a 17-0 lead through halftime. Jacksonville proceeded to take the rest of the game off, but the Titans could only muster two field goals by Rob Bironas, going for 37 yards in the third quarter, and 30 yards in the fourth. Jacksonville held on to win 17-6, improving to 7-5, while dropping Tennessee to 5-7.
Moving along to the New Jersey/New York/the Meadowlands, where the New York Giants hosted the Washington Redskins. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw both ran in touchdowns in the first quarter, with Jacobs going 8 yards and Bradshaw going for 4 yards. Lawrence Tynes added both extra points. Bradshaw did the scoring work in the second quarter, with a 10 yard touchdown run, followed by another extra point from Tynes. The Giants took a 21-0 lead into the half. Jacobs ran in another touchdown himself, a 28 yard rush, followed by Tynes with the extra point. Washington scored in the third quarter as well, with Donovan McNabb finding Anthony Armstrong in the end zone for 33 yards. Graham Gano added the extra point. Tynes then finished things off in the fourth quarter with a 28 yard field goal, to present the final score of 31-7 New York. The G-Men improved to 8-4 while dropping the Redskins to 5-7.
Finally, we have the New Orleans Saints visiting the Cincinnati Bengals. Garrett Hartley provided the only scoring in the first quarter, a field goal of 48 yards for the Saints. Clint Stitser kicked a 29 yard field goal in the second quarter to tie the game for the Bengals, but Christopher Ivory ran 55 yards for the Saints and his touchdown was followed by Hartley's extra point. Stitser added a 23 yard field goal, but Hartlet one-upped him with a 24 yard kick before the end of the half to give the Saints a 13-6 halftime lead. Ivory added a touchdown in the third quarter of one yard, followed by a Hartley extra point. Carson Palmer hooked up with Terrell Owens in response, good for 5 yards and the touchdown, followed by Stitser's extra point. Cedric Benson added a touchdown for the Bengals in the fourth, a 1 yard rush followed by a Stitser extra point. Drew Brees, unwilling to let the lead shrink, threw to Robert Meachem for 52 yards and the touchdown, followed by another Hartley extra point. Benson ran in for another touchdown, four yards, and Carson Palmer found Jermaine Gresham for the two point conversion, to tie the game at 27. Stitser added a field goal of 47 yards to give Cincinnati a 30-27 lead, but it wouldn't hold up as Brees found Marques Colston for 3 yards, followed by a Hartley extra point. The Bengals failed to rally back, and lost 34-30. The Saints improved to 9-3, while the Bengals dropped to 2-10.
That's all for now, with the late games coming in approximately 3-4 hours. The Sunday night game should come shortly after it ends. Stay posted (don't laugh at the bad blog humor).
First off was the game between the visiting Cleveland Browns and the host Miami Dolphins. They went through the first quarter scoreless, and waited until well into the second before Phil Dawson kicked a 32 yard field goal. Dan Carpenter added a tying field goal for the Dolphins right before the half, good from an astounding 60 yards. Jake Delhomme completed a touchdown pass good for 3 yards to Benjamin Watson as the only score in the third quarter, with Dawson's extra point being good. Chad Henne tied it up with a touchdown pass to his tight end, Anthony Fasano, this one good for 11 yards, and the score was tied at 10 with the Carpenter extra point. Cleveland got the last laugh though, as Phil Dawson nailed a 23 yard field goal at the end of the game to win it 13-10. The Browns moved to 5-7, while the Dolphins dropped to 6-6.
The next game featured the Green Bay Packers hosting the San Francisco 49ers. San Francisco broke out their brand new kicker in Jeff Reed, with a 44 yard field goal in the first quarter, followed by a second quarter kick of 26 yards. Green Bay got on the board by Aaron Rodgers 57 yard touchdown to Greg Jennings, followed by a Mason Crosby extra point to give them the lead. John Kuhn rushed a 1 yard touchdown in for the Packers as well, followed by another extra point from Crosby. Troy Smith made a touchdown pass to Vernon Davis late in the first half good for 66 yards. Reed added the extra point to make it 14-13 Packers at the half. Rodgers connected with Donald Driver for 61 yards early in the third quarter, and Crosby added on another extra point. Reed kicked a 23 yard chip shot in for a field goal, and was answered shortly by Rodgers and Jennings hooking up for a yard and a score, with Crosby making the extra point. Crosby added a 43 and 24 yard field goal in the fourth quarter to bring the final to 34-16. Green Bay went to 8-4, while San Francisco dropped to 4-8.
The next game was between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, played in Kansas City. Matt Cassel started the scoring in the late first quarter, with a 2 yard pass to Leonard Pope, with Ryan Succop making the extra point. Matt Prater got Denver on the board with a 25 yard field goal in the second quarter, which was answered later by Succop's 47 yard kick. After an uneventful third quarter, Prater scored again for the Broncos with a 41 yard field goal early in the fourth. Denver couldn't muster any more offense though, and Kansas City held on to win 10-6. The Chiefs improved to 8-4, while Denver dropped to 3-9.
Moving along to Minnesota where the Vikings hosted the Bills from Buffalo. Buffalo struck first with an interception by Drayton Florence off of Tavaris Jackson filling in for an injured (and all-pro wheelchair football quarterback Brett Favre) good for 40 yards. Rian Lindell made the extra point. Tavaris Jackson then struck back with a 31 yard pass for a touchdown to Sidney Rice, with Ryan Longwell making the extra point. Adrian Peterson scored two second quarter touchdowns of 2 and 3 yards (improving all the time) and Longwell made both extra point, and added another after Jackson found Rice again for 6 yards. Longwell kicked a field goal just before halftime as well, good from 38 yards. After both teams took the third quarter off, Peterson visited the end zone again with a 43 yard run, with Longwell adding another extra point. Ryan Fitzpatrick found David Nelson to give the Bills some more points, obviously too little, too late, but it was a 12 yard touchdown. Lindell added the last point of the game, and the Vikings won 38-14. They improved to 5-7, while the Bills dropped to 2-10.
Moving along to Detroit, where the Lions hosted the Chicago Bears (hey, all they need is Tigers and oh my! and they've got the chant down). Detroit drew first blood with third-string quarterback Drew Stanton's 3 yard touchdown rush, and Dave Rayner's extra point. Chester Taylor responded for the Bears with a 1 yard touchdown run, and Robbie Gould added the extra point. Dave Rayner added a 50 yard field goal in the second quarter, which was answered by Matt Forte's 14 yard touchdown run and Gould's extra point. Stanton passed late in the second quarter and found Calvin Johnson for 46 yards and the touchdown, followed by Rayner's extra point. Detroit took a 17-14 lead into halftime, and Rayner extended it in the third quarter with a 25 yard field goal, which was answered by Gould with a 54 yard field goal to make it 20-17 Lions. Jay Cutler completed a fourth quarter pass of 7 yards to Brandon Manumaleuna, good for a touchdown and a 24-20 lead after Gould added the extra point. This proved to be the final, and Chicago improved to 9-3 while the Lions dropped to 2-10 (oh my!).
Onward to Tennessee and the Titans hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rashad Jennings got things going for the Jaguars, running 11 yards for the touchdown, followed by Josh Scobee's extra point. Quarterback David Garrard ran in for 4 yards in the second quarter, followed by Scobee's extra point, and Scobee also added a 26 yard field goal to give Jacksonville a 17-0 lead through halftime. Jacksonville proceeded to take the rest of the game off, but the Titans could only muster two field goals by Rob Bironas, going for 37 yards in the third quarter, and 30 yards in the fourth. Jacksonville held on to win 17-6, improving to 7-5, while dropping Tennessee to 5-7.
Moving along to the New Jersey/New York/the Meadowlands, where the New York Giants hosted the Washington Redskins. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw both ran in touchdowns in the first quarter, with Jacobs going 8 yards and Bradshaw going for 4 yards. Lawrence Tynes added both extra points. Bradshaw did the scoring work in the second quarter, with a 10 yard touchdown run, followed by another extra point from Tynes. The Giants took a 21-0 lead into the half. Jacobs ran in another touchdown himself, a 28 yard rush, followed by Tynes with the extra point. Washington scored in the third quarter as well, with Donovan McNabb finding Anthony Armstrong in the end zone for 33 yards. Graham Gano added the extra point. Tynes then finished things off in the fourth quarter with a 28 yard field goal, to present the final score of 31-7 New York. The G-Men improved to 8-4 while dropping the Redskins to 5-7.
Finally, we have the New Orleans Saints visiting the Cincinnati Bengals. Garrett Hartley provided the only scoring in the first quarter, a field goal of 48 yards for the Saints. Clint Stitser kicked a 29 yard field goal in the second quarter to tie the game for the Bengals, but Christopher Ivory ran 55 yards for the Saints and his touchdown was followed by Hartley's extra point. Stitser added a 23 yard field goal, but Hartlet one-upped him with a 24 yard kick before the end of the half to give the Saints a 13-6 halftime lead. Ivory added a touchdown in the third quarter of one yard, followed by a Hartley extra point. Carson Palmer hooked up with Terrell Owens in response, good for 5 yards and the touchdown, followed by Stitser's extra point. Cedric Benson added a touchdown for the Bengals in the fourth, a 1 yard rush followed by a Stitser extra point. Drew Brees, unwilling to let the lead shrink, threw to Robert Meachem for 52 yards and the touchdown, followed by another Hartley extra point. Benson ran in for another touchdown, four yards, and Carson Palmer found Jermaine Gresham for the two point conversion, to tie the game at 27. Stitser added a field goal of 47 yards to give Cincinnati a 30-27 lead, but it wouldn't hold up as Brees found Marques Colston for 3 yards, followed by a Hartley extra point. The Bengals failed to rally back, and lost 34-30. The Saints improved to 9-3, while the Bengals dropped to 2-10.
That's all for now, with the late games coming in approximately 3-4 hours. The Sunday night game should come shortly after it ends. Stay posted (don't laugh at the bad blog humor).
Inaugural Sandwich Showdown
Okay, for real now. Two sandwiches that actually go against each other, not one winning by default. This week's competitors were a Subway Melt on Roasted Garlic, toasted (because it's so darn cold outside) and a Spicy Italian on Italian, toasted (because it's still cold). In the bread quality aspect, the Spicy Italian won, for near flawless baking in the high speed toasting oven. Under the meats category, the Melt won, because deli-style Italian meats are generally better cold. As for overall sandwich quality, the Spicy Italian would win, because it held together extremely well and was delicious and filling. That's all the sandwich news for now, and I'll give you all some more next week!
Saturday NHL Recap
There were 12 games being played on the big day of the week in the NHL, which was yesterday. Of those 12, six of them required more than the allotted 60 minutes to complete, and three of those went into the shootout. One game that didn't take absurdly long was the first game of the day, hosted in...
Philadelphia, where the Flyers welcomed the New Jersey Devils. Johan Hedberg started for the Devils, while Sergei Bobrovsky tended the Flyer twine. Ilya Kovalchuk got things going early with his fifth of the year, coming on the power play. The hundred million dollar man was assisted by Jamie Langenbrunner and Patrik Elias. James van Riemsdyk answered seventeen seconds later with his fourth of the season, assisted by Mike Richards and Andreas Nodl. Travis Zajac restored the Devils lead with his third of the year, from Langenbrunner and Colin White. Claude Giroux re-tied it early in the second period, with his 13th of the year being assisted by Darroll Powe and Jeff Carter. After a period-long lull, Mike Richards netted his tenth of the year in the third period, with assists by Chris Pronger and Matt Carle. Danny Briere extended the Flyer lead with his 13th of the season, with the helpers credited to Carter and Carle. Elias tried to rally the New Jersey troops with his fourth goal of the season, coming on the power play, from Zajac and Jason Arnott, but Philadelphia finished it off with Carter's 12th of the year into an empty net, with the assist going to Kimmo Timmonen. Philadelphia won 5-3. Richards was the first star, with a goal and an assist, followed by Carter, who had a goal and two assists. Jamie Langenbrunner was the third star for his two assists in the losing effort.
Onward to Montreal, where the Canadiens hosted the San Jose Sharks. Carey Price got the goaltending honors for the Canadiens, while Antti Niemi was in between the pipes for the Sharks. Mathieu Darche was the first to dent the scoreboard for Montreal, scoring his fifth of the year, from Benoit Pouliot and Hal Gill. Benn Ferriero answered for the Sharks, with his third of the year, assisted by Logan Couture. Tomas Plekanec broke the tie for Montreal, scoring his ninth of the year with assists coming from Andrei Kostitsyn and Yannick Weber. Michael Cammalleri provided the insurance goal in the third period, his eighth of the year, assisted by Roman Hamrlik. Montreal rolled to victory, 3-1. Carey Price earned the first star, going 26 for 27 in saves, while goal scorers Plekanec and Darche were the second and third stars.
Staying above the border, where the Ottawa Senators hosted the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller started for the Sabres, while Brian Elliot handled the crease for the Senators. It took until a shootout for either goaltender to crack, and the only one to pierce the armor was Thomas Vanek for the Sabres, giving them a 1-0 win in the shootout. Miller, the winning goalie took first star for 32 saves, while Elliot, the losing goalie, had 31 saves. They were perfect throughout the game. Chris Phillips was the official third star, but honors should definitely go to Vanek for the winner.
Onward to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins. Steve Mason was in net for the hosts, while Marc-Andre Fleury tended the Penguins twine. Paul Martin opened the scoring with a power play goal, unassisted, his second tally of the season, followed by a Michael Rupp goal, also his second of the year, from Eric Godard and Craig Adams. Martin added a later power play goal, also unassisted, his third of the year. Sidney Crosby also had a first period goal, another power play mark, good for his 22nd of the year, coming from Mark Letestu and Kris Letang. This chased Columbus starter Steve Mason away and he was relieved by Mathieu Garon. Tyler Kennedy made it 5-0 in the early second period, with his fifth of the year, assisted by Letestu and Chris Connor. Columbus showed some signs of life with Samuel Pahlsson's second of the year, with helpers by Rostislav Klesla and Ethan Moreau. Crosby responded by potting his 23rd of the year and second of the night, with assistance from Chris Kunitz and Kris Letang. Deryk Engelland added his second of the year, needing no additional help. Columbus scored early in the third period with Chris Clark's fifth tally on the season, coming on the power play from Fedor Tyutin and Ethan Moreau, but the hole was already dug and they couldn't muster any more goals, giving Pittsburgh the 7-2 victory. Sidney Crosby was the first star with two goals, followed by Paul Martin, who had the same spread, and Kris Letang was the third star with two assists. There was a second period fight between Jared Boll of the Blue Jackets and Michael Rupp of the Penguins.
Back up to the north, with the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting trade partners in the Boston Bruins. (sorry Leafs, couldn't help that barb.) Tim Thomas started for Boston, while Jean-Sebastien Giguere was given the start for Toronto. Nathan Horton allowed Boston to draw first blood with his ninth of the year, an unassisted goal. Carl Gunnarsson responded for the Maple Leafs with his first mark of the year, from Tyler Bozak and Nazem Kadri. Gregory Campbell waited until the third period to break the tie, scoring his third of the year for the Bruins, with assists by Tyler Seguin and Johnny Boychuk. Kris Versteeg re-tied the game late in the third with his eighth of the season, a power play goal from Clarke MacArthur and Tomas Kaberle. After a scoreless overtime, Nazem Kadri and Tyler Seguin traded barbs in the shootout before Phil Kessel won it for the Maple Leafs against his former team. Kessel went on to be the first star, while Tim Thomas' 38 for 40 save performance was good for the second star, and Colby Armstrong did who knows what to get the third star. Jay Rosehill of Toronto and Shawn Thornton also shared a dance and other minor penalties in the first period.
Moving into Washington D.C., where the Capitals hosted the Atlanta Thrashers in a battle of division rivals. Ondrej Pavelec was given the start, despite passing out in a previous game against the Capitals (maybe the lack of Fleischmann helped him stay conscious in this one) while Semyon Varlamov blocked the rubber for the Capitals. After a scoreless first period, Rich Peverley scored for Atlanta, his seventh of the year coming from Dustin Byfuglien (buff-lin) and Andrew Ladd. Alex Burmistov extended the Thrasher lead with his fourth of the season asissted by Nik Antropov and Ben Eager. Alex Ovechkin cut the lead by scoring his eleventh of the season for Washington, with helpers from Alexander Semin and John Carlson. Andrew Ladd restored the Atlanta lead of two goals by making it 3-1 with his ninth of the year on the power play. Peverley and Antropov provided the assistance on what would be the final goal of the game. Ondrej Pavelec earned the first star for going 45 for 46 in saves, followed by Peverley and Ladd, who had a goal and an assist each. The lone fight of the game was between Dave Steckel of the Capitals and Jim Slater of the Thrashers.
Down to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning hosted the Colorado Avalanche. Peter Budaj played goal for the visiting Avalanche, while Dan Ellis was in goal for the Lightning. Nate Thompson started the scoring, registering his fourth of the season for the Lightning, receiving help from Adam Hall and Victor Hedman. Phillipe Dupuis tied it up for the Avs with his third of the year from newcomer Matt Hunwick. Martin St. Louis scored for the Lightning in the second period, his eleventh tally of the year, from Simon Gagne and Mattias Ohlund. Mattias Ritola added on with his second of the season, assisted by Johan Harju and Dana Tyrell. Matt Duchene gets Colorado going again with his eighth of the year, assisted by the other newcomer Tomas Fleischmann and John-Michael Liles. Simon Gagne restored the Tampa Bay lead, making it 4-2 with his second of the year, assisted by Martin St. Louis and Teddy Purcell on the power play. Paul Stastny scored early in the third period for the Avalanche, his tenth of the season, coming from Kevin Shattenkirk and Milan Hejduk. Ryan Malone answered later with his seventh of the year, a power play goal assisted by Gagne and St. Louis. Sean Bergenheim added his own tally for the Lightning, his fifth of the season, with assists by Mike Lundin and Malone. Brandon Yip scored his sixth goal to get Colorado going again, on the power play from Daniel Winnik and Matt Duchene. Hejduk added another one later, his tenth of the year, from Fleischmann and Shattenkirk, but Tampa Bay held on to win 6-5 over the Avalanche. Gagne was the first star with a goal and two assists, followed by St. Louis, who tallied the same results on the sheet. Victor Hedman received the third star for his assist.
Into the desert, where the Phoenix Coyotes hosted the Florida Panthers. Ilya Bryzgalov was in between the pipes for the hosts, while Scott Clemmensen got a spot start for the Panthers. After a scoreless first half of the game, Michael Frolik netted his fifth of the season with an assist from David Booth. Martin Hanzal responded later in the second with his seventh of the year from Ray Whitney and Keith Yandle, coming on the power play. The game remained 1-1 through the overtime period, and goals were traded between Mike Santorelli of the Panthers and Radim Vrbata of the Coyotes, followed by Scottie Upshall giving the Coyotes a lead that was stolen away by Stephen Weiss, with Frolik finally burying the winning shot for Florida. Clemmensen was the first star, going 40 for 41 in saves, followed by the losing goalie Bryzgalov, who was 36 for 37 in saves. Frolik, who had a goal and the game winning shot in the shootout, was the third star.
Back east to Nashville, where the Predators played host to the Carolina Hurricanes. Anders Lindback started for the Predators, while Cam ward was given the nod for the Hurricanes. Patric Hornqvist opened the scoring for the Predators, with his sixth of the year, assisted by Cody Franson and Shane O'Brien. Eighteen seconds later, Joe Corvo netted his fifth for the Hurricanes, from Jussi Jokinen and Brandon Sutter. Shea Weber restored the lead for Nashville with his fourth of the year being produced via Martin Erat and Sergei Kostitsyn. Marcel Goc extended the lead for Nashville with his sixth of the season, assisted by Kevin Klein and Erat. Jiri Tlusty cut the lead to 3-2 in the second period, with his second of the season coming from Ryan Carter and Joe Corvo. Cal O'Reilly made it 4-2 with his sixth of the season for the Predators, assisted on once again by Erat and Kostitsyn. Steve Sullivan put the nail in the Hurricane coffin with his unassisted seventh of the year into an empty net. Nashville defeated Carolina, 5-2. Erat was the first star with his sock trick of three assists, followed by Kostitsyn, who had two assists and Marcel Goc was the third star with a goal.
Down to Dallas, where the Stars hosted the team from where they used to be headquartered, the Minnesota Wild. Jose Theodore started for Minnesota, as did Kari Lethonen for Dallas. Karlis Skrastins opened the scoring with his first of the year, courtesy of Steve Ott and Brandon Segal. Ott added a goal in the second period, his sixth of the year, with this one coming of the power play from James Neal and the goaltender Kari Lethonen. Antti Miettinen got Minnesota on the board with his seventh of the year, receiving help from Mikko Koivu. Chuck Kobasew tied it with his second of the year, helped by Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Cullen. Dallas broke the tie with Adam Burish's third of the year, assisted on by Trevor Daley and Brandon Segal. Martin Havlat's seventh of the year re-tied it for the Wild, and forced an overtime. Marek Zidlicky and Pierre-Marc Bouchard assisted Havlat. In overtime, Stephane Robidas and the Stars benefited from a power play, which allowed Robidas' third goal of the year, the game winner. Mike Rebeiro and Brad Richards picked up the assists. Steve Ott was the first star with a goal and assist, followed by Burish and Robidas, who had one goal each.
Going into Alberta, where the Edmonton Oilers hosted the St. Louis Blues. Nikolai Khabibulin got the start for Edmonton, while Jaroslav Halak was in the paint for the Blues. After two scoreless frames, Edmonton awoke with Ryan Jones scoring his sixth of the year, from Magnus Paajarvi and Sam Gagner. St. Louis tied it with Eric Brewer's fourth of the season, assisted by Erik Johnson and B.J. Crombeen. The tie held up until twenty-three seconds into overtime, where Taylor Hall snapped it with his ninth of the year, assisted by Ryan Whitney. Nikolai Khabibulin was the first star with his 31 of 32 save performance, followed by second star Jaroslav Halak, who went 24 for 26 in saves. Taylor Hall's game-winner was the third star. There was one fight in the first period, between St. Louis' Stefan Della Rovere and Edmonton's Colin Fraser.
Lastly, in Los Angeles, where the Kings hosted their rhyming partners from Detroit, the Red Wings. Jonathan Quick started for the Kings, while Chris Osgood was given the green light for the Red Wings. Detroit struck first with Jonathan Ericsson's second of the year, with the lone assist going to Pavel Datsyuk. Justin Williams tied it for the Kings early in the second period, with his tenth of the year coming from Rob Scuderi and Anze Kopitar. Todd Bertuzzi answered less than a minute later, giving the Red Wings the lead back with his fifth of the year. Johan Franzen received credit for the lone assist. Alec Martinez re-tied it, with his second of the year coming from Peter Harrold and Justin Williams. After a scoreless third period, Anze Kopitar managed to win it for the Kings in overtime, with his tenth goal of the season, courtesy of Dustin Brown and Alec Martinez. Justin Williams was the first star, with a goal and an assist, followed by Detroit's Jonathan Ericsson, who had one goal in the losing effort. Anze Kopitar was the third star with a goal and an assist.
That's all the action for Saturday's game. Special thanks to the Sabres and Senators for making my job easier on here, way to keep it low scoring. Sunday has five games going, which will be recapped on Monday, since there is a 6 PM game that I won't be able to include. Football posts will come soon, as needed.
Philadelphia, where the Flyers welcomed the New Jersey Devils. Johan Hedberg started for the Devils, while Sergei Bobrovsky tended the Flyer twine. Ilya Kovalchuk got things going early with his fifth of the year, coming on the power play. The hundred million dollar man was assisted by Jamie Langenbrunner and Patrik Elias. James van Riemsdyk answered seventeen seconds later with his fourth of the season, assisted by Mike Richards and Andreas Nodl. Travis Zajac restored the Devils lead with his third of the year, from Langenbrunner and Colin White. Claude Giroux re-tied it early in the second period, with his 13th of the year being assisted by Darroll Powe and Jeff Carter. After a period-long lull, Mike Richards netted his tenth of the year in the third period, with assists by Chris Pronger and Matt Carle. Danny Briere extended the Flyer lead with his 13th of the season, with the helpers credited to Carter and Carle. Elias tried to rally the New Jersey troops with his fourth goal of the season, coming on the power play, from Zajac and Jason Arnott, but Philadelphia finished it off with Carter's 12th of the year into an empty net, with the assist going to Kimmo Timmonen. Philadelphia won 5-3. Richards was the first star, with a goal and an assist, followed by Carter, who had a goal and two assists. Jamie Langenbrunner was the third star for his two assists in the losing effort.
Onward to Montreal, where the Canadiens hosted the San Jose Sharks. Carey Price got the goaltending honors for the Canadiens, while Antti Niemi was in between the pipes for the Sharks. Mathieu Darche was the first to dent the scoreboard for Montreal, scoring his fifth of the year, from Benoit Pouliot and Hal Gill. Benn Ferriero answered for the Sharks, with his third of the year, assisted by Logan Couture. Tomas Plekanec broke the tie for Montreal, scoring his ninth of the year with assists coming from Andrei Kostitsyn and Yannick Weber. Michael Cammalleri provided the insurance goal in the third period, his eighth of the year, assisted by Roman Hamrlik. Montreal rolled to victory, 3-1. Carey Price earned the first star, going 26 for 27 in saves, while goal scorers Plekanec and Darche were the second and third stars.
Staying above the border, where the Ottawa Senators hosted the Buffalo Sabres. Ryan Miller started for the Sabres, while Brian Elliot handled the crease for the Senators. It took until a shootout for either goaltender to crack, and the only one to pierce the armor was Thomas Vanek for the Sabres, giving them a 1-0 win in the shootout. Miller, the winning goalie took first star for 32 saves, while Elliot, the losing goalie, had 31 saves. They were perfect throughout the game. Chris Phillips was the official third star, but honors should definitely go to Vanek for the winner.
Onward to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins. Steve Mason was in net for the hosts, while Marc-Andre Fleury tended the Penguins twine. Paul Martin opened the scoring with a power play goal, unassisted, his second tally of the season, followed by a Michael Rupp goal, also his second of the year, from Eric Godard and Craig Adams. Martin added a later power play goal, also unassisted, his third of the year. Sidney Crosby also had a first period goal, another power play mark, good for his 22nd of the year, coming from Mark Letestu and Kris Letang. This chased Columbus starter Steve Mason away and he was relieved by Mathieu Garon. Tyler Kennedy made it 5-0 in the early second period, with his fifth of the year, assisted by Letestu and Chris Connor. Columbus showed some signs of life with Samuel Pahlsson's second of the year, with helpers by Rostislav Klesla and Ethan Moreau. Crosby responded by potting his 23rd of the year and second of the night, with assistance from Chris Kunitz and Kris Letang. Deryk Engelland added his second of the year, needing no additional help. Columbus scored early in the third period with Chris Clark's fifth tally on the season, coming on the power play from Fedor Tyutin and Ethan Moreau, but the hole was already dug and they couldn't muster any more goals, giving Pittsburgh the 7-2 victory. Sidney Crosby was the first star with two goals, followed by Paul Martin, who had the same spread, and Kris Letang was the third star with two assists. There was a second period fight between Jared Boll of the Blue Jackets and Michael Rupp of the Penguins.
Back up to the north, with the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting trade partners in the Boston Bruins. (sorry Leafs, couldn't help that barb.) Tim Thomas started for Boston, while Jean-Sebastien Giguere was given the start for Toronto. Nathan Horton allowed Boston to draw first blood with his ninth of the year, an unassisted goal. Carl Gunnarsson responded for the Maple Leafs with his first mark of the year, from Tyler Bozak and Nazem Kadri. Gregory Campbell waited until the third period to break the tie, scoring his third of the year for the Bruins, with assists by Tyler Seguin and Johnny Boychuk. Kris Versteeg re-tied the game late in the third with his eighth of the season, a power play goal from Clarke MacArthur and Tomas Kaberle. After a scoreless overtime, Nazem Kadri and Tyler Seguin traded barbs in the shootout before Phil Kessel won it for the Maple Leafs against his former team. Kessel went on to be the first star, while Tim Thomas' 38 for 40 save performance was good for the second star, and Colby Armstrong did who knows what to get the third star. Jay Rosehill of Toronto and Shawn Thornton also shared a dance and other minor penalties in the first period.
Moving into Washington D.C., where the Capitals hosted the Atlanta Thrashers in a battle of division rivals. Ondrej Pavelec was given the start, despite passing out in a previous game against the Capitals (maybe the lack of Fleischmann helped him stay conscious in this one) while Semyon Varlamov blocked the rubber for the Capitals. After a scoreless first period, Rich Peverley scored for Atlanta, his seventh of the year coming from Dustin Byfuglien (buff-lin) and Andrew Ladd. Alex Burmistov extended the Thrasher lead with his fourth of the season asissted by Nik Antropov and Ben Eager. Alex Ovechkin cut the lead by scoring his eleventh of the season for Washington, with helpers from Alexander Semin and John Carlson. Andrew Ladd restored the Atlanta lead of two goals by making it 3-1 with his ninth of the year on the power play. Peverley and Antropov provided the assistance on what would be the final goal of the game. Ondrej Pavelec earned the first star for going 45 for 46 in saves, followed by Peverley and Ladd, who had a goal and an assist each. The lone fight of the game was between Dave Steckel of the Capitals and Jim Slater of the Thrashers.
Down to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning hosted the Colorado Avalanche. Peter Budaj played goal for the visiting Avalanche, while Dan Ellis was in goal for the Lightning. Nate Thompson started the scoring, registering his fourth of the season for the Lightning, receiving help from Adam Hall and Victor Hedman. Phillipe Dupuis tied it up for the Avs with his third of the year from newcomer Matt Hunwick. Martin St. Louis scored for the Lightning in the second period, his eleventh tally of the year, from Simon Gagne and Mattias Ohlund. Mattias Ritola added on with his second of the season, assisted by Johan Harju and Dana Tyrell. Matt Duchene gets Colorado going again with his eighth of the year, assisted by the other newcomer Tomas Fleischmann and John-Michael Liles. Simon Gagne restored the Tampa Bay lead, making it 4-2 with his second of the year, assisted by Martin St. Louis and Teddy Purcell on the power play. Paul Stastny scored early in the third period for the Avalanche, his tenth of the season, coming from Kevin Shattenkirk and Milan Hejduk. Ryan Malone answered later with his seventh of the year, a power play goal assisted by Gagne and St. Louis. Sean Bergenheim added his own tally for the Lightning, his fifth of the season, with assists by Mike Lundin and Malone. Brandon Yip scored his sixth goal to get Colorado going again, on the power play from Daniel Winnik and Matt Duchene. Hejduk added another one later, his tenth of the year, from Fleischmann and Shattenkirk, but Tampa Bay held on to win 6-5 over the Avalanche. Gagne was the first star with a goal and two assists, followed by St. Louis, who tallied the same results on the sheet. Victor Hedman received the third star for his assist.
Into the desert, where the Phoenix Coyotes hosted the Florida Panthers. Ilya Bryzgalov was in between the pipes for the hosts, while Scott Clemmensen got a spot start for the Panthers. After a scoreless first half of the game, Michael Frolik netted his fifth of the season with an assist from David Booth. Martin Hanzal responded later in the second with his seventh of the year from Ray Whitney and Keith Yandle, coming on the power play. The game remained 1-1 through the overtime period, and goals were traded between Mike Santorelli of the Panthers and Radim Vrbata of the Coyotes, followed by Scottie Upshall giving the Coyotes a lead that was stolen away by Stephen Weiss, with Frolik finally burying the winning shot for Florida. Clemmensen was the first star, going 40 for 41 in saves, followed by the losing goalie Bryzgalov, who was 36 for 37 in saves. Frolik, who had a goal and the game winning shot in the shootout, was the third star.
Back east to Nashville, where the Predators played host to the Carolina Hurricanes. Anders Lindback started for the Predators, while Cam ward was given the nod for the Hurricanes. Patric Hornqvist opened the scoring for the Predators, with his sixth of the year, assisted by Cody Franson and Shane O'Brien. Eighteen seconds later, Joe Corvo netted his fifth for the Hurricanes, from Jussi Jokinen and Brandon Sutter. Shea Weber restored the lead for Nashville with his fourth of the year being produced via Martin Erat and Sergei Kostitsyn. Marcel Goc extended the lead for Nashville with his sixth of the season, assisted by Kevin Klein and Erat. Jiri Tlusty cut the lead to 3-2 in the second period, with his second of the season coming from Ryan Carter and Joe Corvo. Cal O'Reilly made it 4-2 with his sixth of the season for the Predators, assisted on once again by Erat and Kostitsyn. Steve Sullivan put the nail in the Hurricane coffin with his unassisted seventh of the year into an empty net. Nashville defeated Carolina, 5-2. Erat was the first star with his sock trick of three assists, followed by Kostitsyn, who had two assists and Marcel Goc was the third star with a goal.
Down to Dallas, where the Stars hosted the team from where they used to be headquartered, the Minnesota Wild. Jose Theodore started for Minnesota, as did Kari Lethonen for Dallas. Karlis Skrastins opened the scoring with his first of the year, courtesy of Steve Ott and Brandon Segal. Ott added a goal in the second period, his sixth of the year, with this one coming of the power play from James Neal and the goaltender Kari Lethonen. Antti Miettinen got Minnesota on the board with his seventh of the year, receiving help from Mikko Koivu. Chuck Kobasew tied it with his second of the year, helped by Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Cullen. Dallas broke the tie with Adam Burish's third of the year, assisted on by Trevor Daley and Brandon Segal. Martin Havlat's seventh of the year re-tied it for the Wild, and forced an overtime. Marek Zidlicky and Pierre-Marc Bouchard assisted Havlat. In overtime, Stephane Robidas and the Stars benefited from a power play, which allowed Robidas' third goal of the year, the game winner. Mike Rebeiro and Brad Richards picked up the assists. Steve Ott was the first star with a goal and assist, followed by Burish and Robidas, who had one goal each.
Going into Alberta, where the Edmonton Oilers hosted the St. Louis Blues. Nikolai Khabibulin got the start for Edmonton, while Jaroslav Halak was in the paint for the Blues. After two scoreless frames, Edmonton awoke with Ryan Jones scoring his sixth of the year, from Magnus Paajarvi and Sam Gagner. St. Louis tied it with Eric Brewer's fourth of the season, assisted by Erik Johnson and B.J. Crombeen. The tie held up until twenty-three seconds into overtime, where Taylor Hall snapped it with his ninth of the year, assisted by Ryan Whitney. Nikolai Khabibulin was the first star with his 31 of 32 save performance, followed by second star Jaroslav Halak, who went 24 for 26 in saves. Taylor Hall's game-winner was the third star. There was one fight in the first period, between St. Louis' Stefan Della Rovere and Edmonton's Colin Fraser.
Lastly, in Los Angeles, where the Kings hosted their rhyming partners from Detroit, the Red Wings. Jonathan Quick started for the Kings, while Chris Osgood was given the green light for the Red Wings. Detroit struck first with Jonathan Ericsson's second of the year, with the lone assist going to Pavel Datsyuk. Justin Williams tied it for the Kings early in the second period, with his tenth of the year coming from Rob Scuderi and Anze Kopitar. Todd Bertuzzi answered less than a minute later, giving the Red Wings the lead back with his fifth of the year. Johan Franzen received credit for the lone assist. Alec Martinez re-tied it, with his second of the year coming from Peter Harrold and Justin Williams. After a scoreless third period, Anze Kopitar managed to win it for the Kings in overtime, with his tenth goal of the season, courtesy of Dustin Brown and Alec Martinez. Justin Williams was the first star, with a goal and an assist, followed by Detroit's Jonathan Ericsson, who had one goal in the losing effort. Anze Kopitar was the third star with a goal and an assist.
That's all the action for Saturday's game. Special thanks to the Sabres and Senators for making my job easier on here, way to keep it low scoring. Sunday has five games going, which will be recapped on Monday, since there is a 6 PM game that I won't be able to include. Football posts will come soon, as needed.
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