Another eleven games on the schedule in the KHL, starting with...
Avangard Omsk hosting Traktor Chelyabinsk. Andrei Mezin of Traktor and Karri Ramo of Avangard are set to start. Omsk led off in the first period as Georgijs Pujacs scored with the help of Sergei Kalinin. Chelyabinsk tied it with a Jan Bulis goal, with a lone assist by Evgeny Kuznetsov on the power play. Traktor took the lead in the second period as Vladimir Antipov scored, and Yegor Dugin was credited with the assist. Avangard retied the game on a Dmitry Syomin goal, courtesy of Sergei Kostitsyn. Chelyabinsk pulled back ahead as Konstantin Panov scored, assisted by Dugin and Antipov. Omsk retied it in the third period with another goal by Syomin, fueled by Nikita Pivtsakin on the power play. The game required a shootout to determine the winner, which was Traktor by a 4-3 margin after shootout tallies from Panov and Kuznetsov. The three stars were Kuznetsov, Syomin, and Panov, while Dugin and Antipov get the honorable mentions.
To the north, as Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk hosts Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Georgy Gelashvili for Metallurg and Edgards Masalskis for Yugra are the masked men. Khanty-Mansiysk was first on the board with a first period goal from Rinat Ibragimov, assisted by Igor Magogin and Igor Skorokhodov. Magnitogorsk tied it on a power play goal by Sergei Mozyakin, powered by Viktor Antipin. Yugra retook the lead in the second period as Artyom Bulyansky put away an unassisted goal. Khanty-Mansiysk extended the lead in the third period when Marek Troncinsky scored, via Stanislav Bocharov and Anton Krysanov. Metallurg got one back with Denis Platonov scoring, thanks to Mozyakin. They failed to tie the game, leaving the 3-2 win with Yugra, with the three stars being Mozyakin, Troncinsky, and Bulyansky.
South into Kazakhstan, as Barys Astana welcomes Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Evgeny Lobanov for Avtomobilist and Teemu Lassila for Barys are in the blue paint. Astana quickly scored in the first period as Roman Starchenko scored, with the help of Konstantin Rudenko and Victor Hedman. Barys added on with an Alexei Litvinenko power play goal, powered by Talgat Zhailauov and Andrei Gavrilin. Astana struck again when Nigel Dawes potted the puck, with a lone assist credited to Dustin Boyd. Avtomobilist pulled Lobanov at this time in favor of Christopher Holt. Yekaterinburg got on the board with an unassisted power play goal by Sergei Gusev. Barys answered in the second period on a Mikhail Rakhanov goal, fueled by Vitaly Novopashin and Dawes. Avtomobilist replied as Fyodor Malykhin netted the puck, and Nikita Tryamkin and Evgeny Lapenkov were credited with the assists on the power play goal. Astana scored again in the third period on an unassisted Litvinenko power play goal. Barys padded the lead as Brandon Bochenski recorded a goal, guided in by Novopashin and Hedman. Astana finished the scoring at 7-2 when Dmitry Upper scored a goal, made possible by Rudenko. The three stars belong to Litvinenko, Dawes, and Novopashin, while Hedman and Rudenko get the honorable mentions.
Way to the west, we land in Yaroslavl, as Lokomotiv hosts Lev Praha. Jakub Stepanek for Lev and Curtis Sanford for Lokomotiv are in between the pipes. Praha got going in the second period as Nathan Oystrick scored an unassisted goal. Yaroslavl tied it in the third period when Alexander Chernikov potted the puck, thanks to Yury Petrov and Yegor Averin. Lokomotiv won it 2-1 in overtime as Staffan Kronwall scored, with a lone assist from Sergei Plotnikov. Kronwall, Sanford (34 for 35 in saves), and Chernikov earn the three stars.
Northeast and back in Russia, Severstal Cherepovets host Dynamo Moscow. Alexei Volkov for Dynamo and Vasily Koshechkin for Severstal receive the starting nods. Cherepovets began in the first period as Alexander Fedoseyev scored, with guidance from Teemu Laasko. Severstal extended the lead in the second period on an Ignat Zemchenko goal, fueled by Nikolai Kazakovtsev and Alexei Medvedev. Moscow got on the board as Richard Gynge potted the puck, thanks to Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Ovechkin. Dynamo tied the game in the third period when Dominik Granak scored, with the help of Denis Kokarev and Alexei Tsvetkov. Cherepovets regained the lead on a Evgeny Ketov goal, made possible by Gennady Stolyarov and Vadim Shipachyov. Severstal made it 4-2 after Backstrom was called for hooking on the breakaway, which resulted in a successful penalty shot by Zemchenko. This was a final, with the three stars going to Zemchenko, Ketov, and Koshechkin (33 for 35 in saves).
A little to the east, as Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod brings in CSKA Moscow. Rastislav Stana for CSKA and Vitaly Koval for Torpedo are wearing the pads. Moscow was first on the board in the first period as Alexander Radulov scored a power play goal with a lone assist by Pavel Datsyuk. Radulov added on to CSKA lead later with his second goal of the game, assisted by Yakov Rylov and Datsyuk, also on the power play. Nizhny Novgorod got on the board as Mikhail Varnakov scored, with the help of Alexander Syomin. Moscow shot back as Patrick Davis netted the puck, thanks to Janis Sprukts. CSKA extended the lead in the second period as Niklas Persson scored, guided in by Ilya Zubov. Moscow kept going in the third period when Vladimir Zharkov struck with a power play goal, powered by Persson and Maxim Kondratyev. CSKA put the game away at 6-1 with a Mikhail Grabovsky goal, set up by Datsyuk, who got the three-assist sock trick, and Rylov. The three stars belong to Radulov, Datsyuk, and Persson, with an honorable mention for Rylov and Stana (26 for 27 in saves).
Speaking of Moscow, we head southwest to there as Spartak hosts Ak Bars Kazan. Konstantin Barulin for Ak Bars and Sergei Borisov of Spartak are in the creases. Kazan struck first in the first period as Ilya Nikulin scored, thanks to Artyom Lukoyanov. Ak Bars extended the lead as Denis Kulyash potted the puck, with the help of Evgeny Skachkov and Lukoyanov. Moscow got on the board in the second period when Andrei Shefer scored, fueled by Oleg Petrov and Alexander Suglobov. Kazan answered in the third period on a Lauris Darzins goal, made possible by Denis Golubev and Evgeny Medvedev. This produced the 3-1 final, with the three stars being Lukoyanov, Kulyash, and Barulin (39 for 40 in saves).
Staying in the oblast, we head north to Mytishchi as Atlant Moscow Oblast hosts Slovan Bratislava. Jaroslav Janus for Slovan and Stanislav Galimov for Atlant are the designated goalies. Bratislava opened in the first period on a Peter Olvecky goal, courtesy of Andrej Sekera. Slovan extended the lead in the second period as Mario Bliznak scored, thanks to Martin Stajnoch and Lubomir Visnovsky. This was all they needed for a 2-0 win, and the three stars went to Janus (28 save shutout), Olvecky, and Bliznak.
To the south, Vityaz Chekhov welcomes SKA St. Petersburg. Sergei Bobrovsky for SKA and Ivan Kasutin for Vityaz tend the twines. Chekhov led off in the first period as Alexei Badyukov scored, with a lone assist from Nikita Dvurechensky. Vityaz added on as Brian Fahey scored, thanks to Vyacheslav Kulyomin. St. Petersburg got on the board with a Maxim Afinogenov goal, made possible by Tony Martensson and Alexei Semenov. SKA tied it in the third period as Martensson scored, with the help of Maxim Chudinov. St. Petersburg took the lead late on an Ilya Kovalchuk goal, set up by Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Kucheryavenko with just forty-two seconds remaining. They held on for the win, and the three stars were given to Martensson, Kovalchuk, and Badyukov.
Further south, Donbass Donetsk brings in Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Vadim Tarasov for Salavat Yulaev and Jan Laco for Donbass guard the cages. Ufa was first on the board with a first period goal by Alexander Stepanov, fueled by Oleg Saprykin and Sergei Yemelin. Donetsk tied it in the second period as Evgeny Belukhin scored, thanks to Denis Kochetkov and Tomas Matousek. Donbass took the lead on an Alexei Ponikarovsky goal, set up by Ruslan Fedotenko. Donetsk extended the lead in the third period on a Tuomas Kiiskenen goal, assisted by Evgeny Dadonov. Donbass iced the game at 4-1 when Kochetkov scored, and the helpers came from Belukhin and Matousek. This was a final, with the three stars going to Belukhin, Kochetkov, and Laco (28 for 29 in saves), while Matousek gets an honorable mention.
Finally, we end in Nizhnekamsk, as Neftekhimik hosts Dinamo Riga. Mikael Tellqvist for Dinamo and Maxim Sokolov for Neftekhimik are in net. Riga began with a first period power play goal by Kaspars Daugavins, powered by Aleksandrs Nizivijs and Paul Szczechura. Nizhnekamsk replied with a Maxim Pestushko power play goal, made possible by Renat Mamashev and Alexander Seluyanov. Dinamo retook the lead as Alexandre Giroux scored, thanks to Nizivijs. Riga padded the lead with a Miks Andrasis goal, courtesy of Jamie Johnson. Neftekhimik got one back as Stanislav Alshevsky potted the puck, with the help of Yaroslav Alshevsky and Pyotr Khokhryakov. Dinamo responded in the second period as Maris Bicevskis scored a goal, helped along by Guntis Galvins and Raitis Ivanans. Riga struck again with a Gints Meija goal, pushed in by Daugavins and Bicevskis. Nizhnekamsk got one back as Pestushko scored, via Petr Koukal and Mamashev. Neftekhimik pulled closer with an unassisted goal by Tomas Netik. Dinamo answered on a Martins Karsums goal, guided in by Johnson and Arvids Rekis. The third period stood in stark contrast to the other two, with no scoring leaving the final as a 6-4 Dinamo win. The three stars are given to Daugavins, Pestushko, and Bicevskis, while the honorable mentions go to Nizivijs, Mamashev, and Johnson.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Friday, November 16, 2012
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 19
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part nineteen is about eccentric reliever Brian Wilson.
Brian Wilson was born on March 16, 1982, in Winchester, Massachusetts. He grew up in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and attended Londonderry High School there as well. During his teen years, Wilson matured quickly due to his father's five-year battle with cancer, which he, tragically, ultimately lost. This developed a rough edge for Wilson, and led him to challenge authority on occasion, but his fiery personality did not deter the Cleveland Indians from drafting him out of high school in the 2000 draft. Wilson, a thirtieth round selection, opted not to sign, and went to college at Louisiana State University. He was in his junior year of college, where he was excelling at baseball, when he suffered an elbow injury that required Tommy John ligament replacement surgery. Despite the extensive rehabilitation ahead, Wilson was a twenty-fourth round pick of the San Francisco Giants. He finally made a professional debut in 2004, pitching with the Hagerstown Suns of Hagerstown, Maryland, in the South Atlantic League at the Class A level. In twenty-three appearances (three starts; he opted to become a reliever after a lack of success starting) he pitched to a 5.34 earned run average with forty-one strikeouts in fifty-seven and one-third innings. He worked his way through the ranks in 2005, beginning with San Francisco's new Class A affiliate, the Augusta Greenjackets of Augusta, Georgia, in the South Atlanta League first, where he pitched in twenty-six games, over half of his total for the season. Notably, he worked in a closer role for part of the season, throwing thirteen saves while posting a 0.82 earned run average with thirty strikeouts in thirty-three innings. He stepped up to the Class AA Norwich Navigators of Norwich, Connecticut in the Eastern League next, where his numbers read 0.57 for earned run average, eight saves, twenty-two strikeouts, fifteen and two-thirds innings of work, all over fifteen games. He made a late season stint with the Class AAA Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League, where he threw a 3.97 earned run average in eleven and one-third innings with thirteen strikeouts. Wilson bounced around a bit in 2006, starting with the Grizzlies but earning a major league call up, where he made his major league debut on April 23, 2006. While it wasn't known when he was pitching, he injured himself in the first of two innings he pitched, and he was placed on the disabled list after that. He made his rehabilitation appearance with the San Jose Giants of the Class A Advanced California League. Wilson appeared in five games before returning to Fresno, where he stayed for nearly a month before rejoining the major league Giants. Overall, the back-and-forth season saw Wilson pitch to a 2.89 earned run average in Fresno and a 5.40 in San Francisco. He totaled fifty-three strikeouts for the year as well as fifty-nine innings. Wilson was the designated closer for San Francisco in the 2007 spring training, but struggled in the role and was sent down to the Grizzlies for most of the year. Here, he had a line of a 2.10 earned run average, eleven saves, thirty-seven strikeouts, and thirty-four and one-third innings. He returned to the majors on August 11th, and closed out six games while posting a 2.28 earned run average with eighteen strikeouts in twenty-three and two-thirds innings. Wilson was named the full-time closer ahead of the 2008 season, and finally had his breakthrough season, earning an All-Star bid midway through the season. While his overall numbers of a 4.62 earned run average with sixty-seven strikeouts in sixty-two and one-third innings were unimpressive to many, his forty-one saves in forty-seven chances spoke well of progress. Wilson kept the closer role in 2009, and rewarded the team's faith in him with thirty-eight saves in forty-five chances, while holding a 2.74 earned run average, nearly two runs lower than the previous season. He also struck out eighty-three batters in seventy-two and one-third innings in one of his heaviest professional workloads. He also became a local star through his Life of Brian reality show. The media attention and strong pitching both continued in 2010, as he earned his second All-Star nomination en route to a dominant 1.81 earned run average, ninety-three strikeouts, and seventy-four and two-thirds innings. Additionally, Wilson led the National League in saves with forty-eight, and blew just three save chances all season. With stability in pitching across the board, the Giants made a postseason appearance, with Wilson making ten appearance against the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers in the playoffs. His first playoff appearance could be attributed to butterflies (although with the cool and calm Wilson, this is not a solid assumption), as he blew a save by allowing an unearned run against the Braves in two innings of work. Over the next nine and two-thirds innings, Wilson was virtually unhittable, allowing nine baserunners while striking out sixteen batters, and throughout the time he posted a perfect 0.00 earned run average. Wilson capped the run off with a Game 5 strikeout in the World Series against the Rangers, allowing the Giants to claim a World Series title that Wilson had a very big role in making happen. His predominant jet-black beard gained a fair amount of TV time throughout the run, and the Fear the Beard campaign that Wilson and teammate Sergio Romo put together got widespread attention. The attention did not subside in 2011, and Wilson didn't either. He remained an elite closer, while pitching to a 3.11 earned run average with fifty-four strikeouts in fifty-five innings, while also turning thirty-six saves. He also pitched in his third All-Star Game, recording the save as the National League won, under the watchful eye of his manager Bruce Bochy. However, Wilson and the Giants appeared to have a bit of a championship hangover, and failed to make the playoffs. The 2012 season was sour for Wilson as well, as he pitched in only two games before suffering another arm injury requiring Tommy John surgery on April 12th. The surgery was on April 19th, and Wilson remained upbeat in the dugout, supporting his Giants teammates as he was left a spectator for their second World Series Championship in three years. While the list of players to be successful after two Tommy John surgeries is short, Wilson likely hopes he can return to an elite level and help San Francisco defend their title in 2013.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Brian Wilson was born on March 16, 1982, in Winchester, Massachusetts. He grew up in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and attended Londonderry High School there as well. During his teen years, Wilson matured quickly due to his father's five-year battle with cancer, which he, tragically, ultimately lost. This developed a rough edge for Wilson, and led him to challenge authority on occasion, but his fiery personality did not deter the Cleveland Indians from drafting him out of high school in the 2000 draft. Wilson, a thirtieth round selection, opted not to sign, and went to college at Louisiana State University. He was in his junior year of college, where he was excelling at baseball, when he suffered an elbow injury that required Tommy John ligament replacement surgery. Despite the extensive rehabilitation ahead, Wilson was a twenty-fourth round pick of the San Francisco Giants. He finally made a professional debut in 2004, pitching with the Hagerstown Suns of Hagerstown, Maryland, in the South Atlantic League at the Class A level. In twenty-three appearances (three starts; he opted to become a reliever after a lack of success starting) he pitched to a 5.34 earned run average with forty-one strikeouts in fifty-seven and one-third innings. He worked his way through the ranks in 2005, beginning with San Francisco's new Class A affiliate, the Augusta Greenjackets of Augusta, Georgia, in the South Atlanta League first, where he pitched in twenty-six games, over half of his total for the season. Notably, he worked in a closer role for part of the season, throwing thirteen saves while posting a 0.82 earned run average with thirty strikeouts in thirty-three innings. He stepped up to the Class AA Norwich Navigators of Norwich, Connecticut in the Eastern League next, where his numbers read 0.57 for earned run average, eight saves, twenty-two strikeouts, fifteen and two-thirds innings of work, all over fifteen games. He made a late season stint with the Class AAA Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League, where he threw a 3.97 earned run average in eleven and one-third innings with thirteen strikeouts. Wilson bounced around a bit in 2006, starting with the Grizzlies but earning a major league call up, where he made his major league debut on April 23, 2006. While it wasn't known when he was pitching, he injured himself in the first of two innings he pitched, and he was placed on the disabled list after that. He made his rehabilitation appearance with the San Jose Giants of the Class A Advanced California League. Wilson appeared in five games before returning to Fresno, where he stayed for nearly a month before rejoining the major league Giants. Overall, the back-and-forth season saw Wilson pitch to a 2.89 earned run average in Fresno and a 5.40 in San Francisco. He totaled fifty-three strikeouts for the year as well as fifty-nine innings. Wilson was the designated closer for San Francisco in the 2007 spring training, but struggled in the role and was sent down to the Grizzlies for most of the year. Here, he had a line of a 2.10 earned run average, eleven saves, thirty-seven strikeouts, and thirty-four and one-third innings. He returned to the majors on August 11th, and closed out six games while posting a 2.28 earned run average with eighteen strikeouts in twenty-three and two-thirds innings. Wilson was named the full-time closer ahead of the 2008 season, and finally had his breakthrough season, earning an All-Star bid midway through the season. While his overall numbers of a 4.62 earned run average with sixty-seven strikeouts in sixty-two and one-third innings were unimpressive to many, his forty-one saves in forty-seven chances spoke well of progress. Wilson kept the closer role in 2009, and rewarded the team's faith in him with thirty-eight saves in forty-five chances, while holding a 2.74 earned run average, nearly two runs lower than the previous season. He also struck out eighty-three batters in seventy-two and one-third innings in one of his heaviest professional workloads. He also became a local star through his Life of Brian reality show. The media attention and strong pitching both continued in 2010, as he earned his second All-Star nomination en route to a dominant 1.81 earned run average, ninety-three strikeouts, and seventy-four and two-thirds innings. Additionally, Wilson led the National League in saves with forty-eight, and blew just three save chances all season. With stability in pitching across the board, the Giants made a postseason appearance, with Wilson making ten appearance against the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers in the playoffs. His first playoff appearance could be attributed to butterflies (although with the cool and calm Wilson, this is not a solid assumption), as he blew a save by allowing an unearned run against the Braves in two innings of work. Over the next nine and two-thirds innings, Wilson was virtually unhittable, allowing nine baserunners while striking out sixteen batters, and throughout the time he posted a perfect 0.00 earned run average. Wilson capped the run off with a Game 5 strikeout in the World Series against the Rangers, allowing the Giants to claim a World Series title that Wilson had a very big role in making happen. His predominant jet-black beard gained a fair amount of TV time throughout the run, and the Fear the Beard campaign that Wilson and teammate Sergio Romo put together got widespread attention. The attention did not subside in 2011, and Wilson didn't either. He remained an elite closer, while pitching to a 3.11 earned run average with fifty-four strikeouts in fifty-five innings, while also turning thirty-six saves. He also pitched in his third All-Star Game, recording the save as the National League won, under the watchful eye of his manager Bruce Bochy. However, Wilson and the Giants appeared to have a bit of a championship hangover, and failed to make the playoffs. The 2012 season was sour for Wilson as well, as he pitched in only two games before suffering another arm injury requiring Tommy John surgery on April 12th. The surgery was on April 19th, and Wilson remained upbeat in the dugout, supporting his Giants teammates as he was left a spectator for their second World Series Championship in three years. While the list of players to be successful after two Tommy John surgeries is short, Wilson likely hopes he can return to an elite level and help San Francisco defend their title in 2013.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Thursday Night Football Week 11 2012
Thursday Night Football headlines the last of the bye weeks (and therefore the last of my partial-workload weeks as well). Tonight's games is a battle between AFC East... cellar dwellers, as the Buffalo Bills host the Miami Dolphins. Buffalo began with a 79 yard punt return by Leodis McKelvin for a touchdown, and Rian Lindell made the extra point. The Bills added on as Lindell booted a 32 yard field goal. Miami replied on the ensuing kickoff with a 96 yard return for a touchdown by Marcus Thigpen, and Dan Carpenter handled the extra point. Buffalo replied with a 34 yard field goal. The Bills continued in the second quarter as Lindell was true on a 42 yard field goal. Buffalo got some more as Lindell knocked in a 19 yard field goal. The Dolphins pulled back a bit in the fourth quarter as Ryan Tannehill passed 2 yards to Davone Bess for a touchdown, and Carpenter made the PAT. They failed to tie the game, losing 19-14, with both teams now at 4-6.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
KHL November 15th 2012
It was brought to my attention (by myself of all people) that I had the hosting and visiting teams backwards so far in my KHL posts. I apologize for the confusion, and hope that my North American behavior in reading box scores causes no further trouble. Anyway, today's game is actually being played in Novokuznetsk, with Metallurg hosting Amur Khabarovsk. Alexei Murygin for Amur and Alexander Lazushin for Metallurg are the masked men. The scoring didn't start until the third period, when Novokuznetsk led off with a power play goal by Dmitry Kagarlitsky, courtesy of Randy Robitaille. Metallurg extended the lead with a Dmitry Megalinsky power play goal, powered by Kagarlinsky. Novokuznetsk padded the lead as Alexei Yefimov scored, with the help of Alexander Mereskin. Khabarovsk got on the board as Andrei Stepanov scored a power play, assisted by Vladimir Loginov and Alexander Loginov. Amur got closer as Juha-Pekka Hytonen scored an unassisted goal. Metallurg iced the game at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Anton Lazarev, set up by Kagarlitsky. The three stars of the game belong to Kagarlitsky, Lazushin (35 for 37 in saves), and Yefimov.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 18
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part eighteen is about speedy outfielder Gregor Blanco.
Gregor Blanco was born on December 12, 1983, in Caracas, Venezuela. He attended Ignacio Martin Burk High School in Valera, Venezuela, and was signed by the Atlanta Braves at the age of sixteen on July 4, 2000 after going undrafted. He finished his schooling in Venezuela, and moved along to play with the Class A Macon Braves of Macon, Georgia in 2002. While with Macon in the South Atlantic League, Blanco hit to a .271 batting average, as well as nine triples and forty stolen bases. This early speedster reputation is still with Blanco to this day. He advanced to the Class A Advanced Carolina League in 2003 and 2004, playing both seasons in full with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in South Carolina. Over the two seasons, he hit to a .269 batting average, while amassing sixteen triples and fifty-nine stolen bases. Throughout his first three years in the minors, he also accumulated twenty home runs and 113 runs batted in. His defense early on was the weakest part of his game, but he looked like a decent prospect in most regards. In 2005, Blanco continued his slow progression through the minors, moving on to the Class AA Mississippi Braves of Jackson, Mississippi. He also played about a half of a season in 2006 here, and over the one and a half season, he hit .265 with fifteen triples and six home runs, as well as forty-six runs batted in and forty-five stolen bases. More importantly, he reduced the number of errors he made while playing all positions in the outfield, primarily center field. For the rest of 2006 and all of 2007, Blanco was assigned to play in the Class AAA International League with the Richmond Braves of Richmond, Virginia. Closing out 2006, he improved his numbers to a .294 batting average, with a triple and fourteen stolen bases, although he failed to hit a home run. The next year, he played the entire season, amassing a .282 batting average with five triples, three home runs, thirty-five runs batted in and twenty-three stolen bases. The performance was enough for Blanco to play the entire season with the Braves in Atlanta in 2008. He made his major league debut on March 30, 2008, and worked primarily as a pinch hitter before taking over the starting job in center field from Jordan Schafer. His role was further solidified after May 26th saw Mark Kotsay get injured. Blanco ended the season hitting .251 with four triples, one home run (his first major league home run was hit on May 27th), thirty-eight runs batted in, and thirteen stolen bases. While he was slowing down on the basepaths, his fielding was greatly improved, and he only made two errors all season, both in left field. He struggled to repeat the modest success he achieved for the 2009 season, being sent down to the new Atlanta Braves Class AAA affiliate, the Gwinnett Braves of Lawrenceville, Georgia. His numbers there for the season were a .228 batting average, one triple, two home runs, thirty runs batted in, and ten stolen bases. In the majors, his statistics were worse, as he posted a miniscule .186 average with one triple, one run batted in, and two stolen bases. He rebounded in 2010, starting the year in Gwinnett and hitting .286 over forty-four games, with one home run, eleven runs batted in, and nine stolen bases, earning a late May call up. He was not sent back down, staying in Atlanta until he was traded with Jesse Chavez and Tim Collins to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth. for the whole season, he hit to a .283 batting average with four triples, one home run, fourteen runs batted in and eleven stolen bases. Blanco was a disappointment to the Royals, who had him playing with the Class AAA Syracuse Chiefs of Syracuse, New York in the International League for 2011. His numbers suffered here, as he only hit .203 with two triples, three home runs, ten runs batted in, and fifteen stolen bases before being traded to the Washington Nationals on May 8, 2011. He was promptly assigned to Omaha Storm Chasers of Omaha, Nebraska of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, and he stayed there for the entire season, hitting .196 with just four runs batted in and nine stolen bases in a very limited role. Blanco was a free agent after the season, but the San Francisco Giants signed Blanco to a minor league contract with a spring training invitation on November 19, 2011. Blanco made the team out of spring training, again working in a fourth outfielder role for the first half of the season. On the highlight reel, Blanco's defense came into prominence as he once again robbed Jordan Schafer, now of the Houston Astros, during Matt Cain's perfect game by making a spectacular diving catch on the warning track to preserve the historic bid. Blanco made further headlines when the news of Melky Cabrera's suspension for performance-enhancing drugs came out, and after August 15, 2012, he had the starting left field role. He ended the regular season hitting .244 with five triples and home runs apiece, as well as producing thirty-four runs batted in, and he also saw a speed resurgence with twenty-six stolen bases. He was on the postseason roster, playing in every playoff game for the Giants. He knocked in five runners over the postseason with just three specific hits (two triples and a double), and his postseason highlight would be World Series Game 3 triple that gave the Giants a second inning lead, en route to their sixth straight victory and the eventual title of World Series Champions. As well as that key hit, Blanco also maintained strong defense, a critical component of the Giants' championship character.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Gregor Blanco was born on December 12, 1983, in Caracas, Venezuela. He attended Ignacio Martin Burk High School in Valera, Venezuela, and was signed by the Atlanta Braves at the age of sixteen on July 4, 2000 after going undrafted. He finished his schooling in Venezuela, and moved along to play with the Class A Macon Braves of Macon, Georgia in 2002. While with Macon in the South Atlantic League, Blanco hit to a .271 batting average, as well as nine triples and forty stolen bases. This early speedster reputation is still with Blanco to this day. He advanced to the Class A Advanced Carolina League in 2003 and 2004, playing both seasons in full with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in South Carolina. Over the two seasons, he hit to a .269 batting average, while amassing sixteen triples and fifty-nine stolen bases. Throughout his first three years in the minors, he also accumulated twenty home runs and 113 runs batted in. His defense early on was the weakest part of his game, but he looked like a decent prospect in most regards. In 2005, Blanco continued his slow progression through the minors, moving on to the Class AA Mississippi Braves of Jackson, Mississippi. He also played about a half of a season in 2006 here, and over the one and a half season, he hit .265 with fifteen triples and six home runs, as well as forty-six runs batted in and forty-five stolen bases. More importantly, he reduced the number of errors he made while playing all positions in the outfield, primarily center field. For the rest of 2006 and all of 2007, Blanco was assigned to play in the Class AAA International League with the Richmond Braves of Richmond, Virginia. Closing out 2006, he improved his numbers to a .294 batting average, with a triple and fourteen stolen bases, although he failed to hit a home run. The next year, he played the entire season, amassing a .282 batting average with five triples, three home runs, thirty-five runs batted in and twenty-three stolen bases. The performance was enough for Blanco to play the entire season with the Braves in Atlanta in 2008. He made his major league debut on March 30, 2008, and worked primarily as a pinch hitter before taking over the starting job in center field from Jordan Schafer. His role was further solidified after May 26th saw Mark Kotsay get injured. Blanco ended the season hitting .251 with four triples, one home run (his first major league home run was hit on May 27th), thirty-eight runs batted in, and thirteen stolen bases. While he was slowing down on the basepaths, his fielding was greatly improved, and he only made two errors all season, both in left field. He struggled to repeat the modest success he achieved for the 2009 season, being sent down to the new Atlanta Braves Class AAA affiliate, the Gwinnett Braves of Lawrenceville, Georgia. His numbers there for the season were a .228 batting average, one triple, two home runs, thirty runs batted in, and ten stolen bases. In the majors, his statistics were worse, as he posted a miniscule .186 average with one triple, one run batted in, and two stolen bases. He rebounded in 2010, starting the year in Gwinnett and hitting .286 over forty-four games, with one home run, eleven runs batted in, and nine stolen bases, earning a late May call up. He was not sent back down, staying in Atlanta until he was traded with Jesse Chavez and Tim Collins to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth. for the whole season, he hit to a .283 batting average with four triples, one home run, fourteen runs batted in and eleven stolen bases. Blanco was a disappointment to the Royals, who had him playing with the Class AAA Syracuse Chiefs of Syracuse, New York in the International League for 2011. His numbers suffered here, as he only hit .203 with two triples, three home runs, ten runs batted in, and fifteen stolen bases before being traded to the Washington Nationals on May 8, 2011. He was promptly assigned to Omaha Storm Chasers of Omaha, Nebraska of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, and he stayed there for the entire season, hitting .196 with just four runs batted in and nine stolen bases in a very limited role. Blanco was a free agent after the season, but the San Francisco Giants signed Blanco to a minor league contract with a spring training invitation on November 19, 2011. Blanco made the team out of spring training, again working in a fourth outfielder role for the first half of the season. On the highlight reel, Blanco's defense came into prominence as he once again robbed Jordan Schafer, now of the Houston Astros, during Matt Cain's perfect game by making a spectacular diving catch on the warning track to preserve the historic bid. Blanco made further headlines when the news of Melky Cabrera's suspension for performance-enhancing drugs came out, and after August 15, 2012, he had the starting left field role. He ended the regular season hitting .244 with five triples and home runs apiece, as well as producing thirty-four runs batted in, and he also saw a speed resurgence with twenty-six stolen bases. He was on the postseason roster, playing in every playoff game for the Giants. He knocked in five runners over the postseason with just three specific hits (two triples and a double), and his postseason highlight would be World Series Game 3 triple that gave the Giants a second inning lead, en route to their sixth straight victory and the eventual title of World Series Champions. As well as that key hit, Blanco also maintained strong defense, a critical component of the Giants' championship character.
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012
KHL November 14th 2012
Eleven of a possible thirteen games on, so it's a busy day as the KHL gets back to business. The first game comes from...
Magnitogorsk, as Metallurg hosts Avangard Omsk. Karri Ramo of Avangard and Ari Ahonen of Metallurg are in goal. Magnitogorsk led off with a first period goal by Sergei Mozyakin, made possible by Viktor Antipin, a power play goal. Omsk tied the game in the second period as Alexander Popov scored, with a lone assist from Tomas Zaborsky. Avangard took the lead as Sergei Kostitsyn netted a power play goal, powered by Nikita Nikitin and Zaborsky. Metallurg retied the game in the third period as Dmitry Kazionov recorded an unassisted goal. Omsk won the game 3-2 in overtime as Kirill Lyamin scored with thirty seconds left, courtesy of Nikitin and Kostitsyn. The three stars belong to Kostitsyn, Nikitin, and Zaborsky.
A bit to the northeast, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg hosts Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Mikhail Biryukov of Yugra and Evgeny Lobanov of Avtomobilist are in the creases. Stanislav Zhmakin put Yekaterinburg on the board first in the second period with a goal fueled by Nikolai Pronin. Khanty-Mansiysk tied the game in the third period as Igor Skorokhodov notched a goal, with guidance from Marek Troncinsky. The game went into a shootout, where Skorokhodov potted two goals for Yugra, besting Fyodor Malykhin's lone goal for Avtomobilist. Yugra picked up a 2-1 win, with Skorokhodov, Zhmakin, and Biryukov (40 for 41 in saves) getting the three stars.
Back south a touch to Chelyabinsk, as Traktor welcomes Barys Astana. Vitaly Yeremeyev for Barys and Michael Garnett for Traktor are in between the pipes. Chelyabinsk got started in the first period as Maxim Karpov scored, with a lone assist by Andrei Popov. Traktor added on as Andrei Kostitsyn scored, thanks to Deron Quint and Gennady Razin. Astana got one back in the second period with Dmitry Upper scoring, fueled by Alexei Litvinenko and Konstantin Rudenko. Chelyabinsk shot back when Anton Glinkin scored, passed from Jan Bulis (of Pass It to Bulis blogosphere fame). Traktor kept going with a Maxim Yakutsenya goal via Petri Kontiola and Konstantin Panov. Barys answered as Talgat Zhailauov netted the puck, assisted by Litvinenko and Konstantin Pushkaryov. Chelyabinsk extended their lead as Panov potted a goal, with the help of Yegor Dugin and Vladimir Antipov. Astana replaced Yeremeyev with Pavel Poluektov, and scored the next goal as Brandon Bochenski recorded a goal, pushed through by Dustin Boyd and Nikolai Antropov. Traktor iced off the game with an unassisted third period goal from Dugin to produce the 6-3 final score. The three stars belong to Panov, Dugin, and Litvinenko.
Well to the west, Slovan Bratislava hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Semyon Varlamov for Lokomotiv and Branislav Konrad for Slovan receive the starting nods. Yaroslavl began in the first period with a Maxim Trunyov goal, passed from Roman Lyuduchin. Lokomotiv extended the lead in the second period with an Alexei Kalyuzhny goal, assisted by Viktor Kozlov. Yaroslavl added on in the third period with an Artyom Anisimov goal, set up by Sergei Plotnikov and Yegor Yakovlev. Lokomotiv iced the game with a Lyuduchin unassisted goal for a 4-0 final. The three stars go to Varlamov (32 save shutout), Lyuduchin, and Trunyov.
Slightly to the northwest, Lev Praha hosts Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Votaly Koval for Torpedo and Tomas Popperle for Lev are the starting goalies. Nizhny Novgorod started in the first period as Alexei Ugarov scored, with assistance from Matt Ellison and Mikhail Varnakov on the power play. Praha tied it with a Jakub Klepis netted the puck, with the help of Ondrej Nemec. Lev took the lead when Zdeno Chara scored a power play goal, powered by Jiri Novotny and Jakub Voracek. Praha extended the lead in the second period as Novotny scored, guided in by Roman Cervenka and Voracek. Torpedo tried to rally back in the third period as Juuso Hietanen scored, thanks to Dmitry Makarov and Alexander Yevseyenkov. They got no closer, losing 3-2 to Lev, with the three stars being Novotny, Voracek, and Chara.
Back east, Salavat Yulaev Ufa hosts Spartak Moscow. Sergei Borisov for Spartak and Vadim Tarasov for Salavat Yulaev are the masked men. Moscow quickly opened with a first period goal by Mikhail Zhukov, assisted by Alexander Suglobov. Ufa tied it on a Yury Trubachyov goal, made possible by Nikita Filatov and Denis Parshin. Salavat Yulaev took the lead on a Igor Mirnov goal, courtesy of Antti Pihlstrom and Alexei Kaigorodov. Spartak tied it in the third period as Suglobov recorded an unassisted and shorthanded goal tie tie the game. Ufa won the game with goals by Parshin and Trubachyov in the shootout, for a 3-2 final. The three stars go to Trubachyov, Suglobov, and Parshin.
Speaking of Moscow, we head there as Dynamo hosts Vityaz Chekhov. Ivan Kasutin for Vityaz and Alexi Volkov for Dynamo are all padded up. Chekhov was first to score in the first period with a Alexander Korolyuk goal, fueled by Artemy Panarin and Dinar Khafizullin. Moscow tied it as Nicklas Backstrom scored, with the help of Alexander Ovechkin and Richard Gynge. Vityaz took the lead back with a Brian Fahey goal, set up by Vladimir Malevich and Josh Hennessy. Chekhov extended the lead in the second period on a Anton Korolyov goal, assisted by Evgeny Timkin. Dynamo pulled back in the third period as Backstrom notched his second goal of the game, guided in by Filip Novak. Moscow pulled even with a Konstantin Volkov goal, thanks to Janne Jalasvaara. Dynamo completed the comeback in overtime as Backstrom put away an unassisted goal to complete his hat trick and a 4-3 victory. The three stars are Backstrom, Volkov, and Korolyov.
Staying in the city, CSKA Moscow hosts Atlant Moscow Oblast (for North America, an Oblast is like what we call a State). Stanislav Galimov for Atlant and Rastislav Stana for CSKA play in the blue paint. CSKA got going in the first period as Alexander Radulov scored, with a lone assist provided by Sergei Shirokov on the power play. CSKA extended the lead to 2-0 in the third period on an Ilya Zubov goal, fueled by Radulov and Evgeny Ryasensky. This was a final, with Radulov, Stana (14 save shutout), and Zubov getting the three stars.
To the west, with SKA St. Petersburg hosting Dinamo Minsk. Pekka Rinne for Dinamo and Sergei Bobrovsky for SKA make up the NHL-level goalie battle. St. Petersburg opened early in the first period as Patrick Thoresen scored an unassisted goal. SKA extended the lead on a Maxim Rybin goal, fueled by Thoresen and Dmitry Vorobyov. Minsk got on the board in the second period as Teemu Laine scored, with assists credited to Tim Stapleton and Cory Murphy. St. Petersburg replied in the third period as Viktor Tikhonov scored, with the helped of Kevin Dallman and Vladimir Tarasenko. SKA iced the game at 4-1 with an Alexander Kucheryavenko goal, passed from Igor Makarov. The three stars are awarded to Thoresen, Bobrovsky (43 for 44 in saves), and Rybin.
Back east again, as Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk hosts Donbass Donetsk. Jan Laco for Donbass and Matt Dalton for Neftekhimik tend the twines. Donetsk quickly scored in the first period as Sergei Varlamov scored, thanks to Alexei Ponikarovsky and Ruslan Fedotenko. Donbass extended the lead in the second period with a Peter Podhradsky goal, fueled by Fedotenko and Varlamov. Nizhnekamsk got on the board with an unassisted Oskar Osala goal. Neftekhimik tied the game in the third period with a power play goal from Renat Mamashev, powered by Maxim Pestushko. Donetsk ended up winning 3-2 after a Fedotenko shootout goal secured the victory. The three stars belong to Fedotenko, Varlamov, and Mamashev.
Finally, we end in Kazan, as Ak Bars hosts Dinamo Riga. Mikael Tellqvist for Dinamo and Konstantin Barulin for Ak Bars guard the cages. Kazan led off in the first period with a Niko Kapanen goal, set up by Ilya Nikulin and Alexei Morozov. Ak Bars extended the lead as Janne Pesonen scored, with the help of Dmitry Obukhov and Jarkko Immonen. Kazan iced it at 3-0 with an empty net goal by Danis Zaripov, passed from Morozov. The three stars go to Barulin (28 save shutout), Morozov, and Kapanen.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Magnitogorsk, as Metallurg hosts Avangard Omsk. Karri Ramo of Avangard and Ari Ahonen of Metallurg are in goal. Magnitogorsk led off with a first period goal by Sergei Mozyakin, made possible by Viktor Antipin, a power play goal. Omsk tied the game in the second period as Alexander Popov scored, with a lone assist from Tomas Zaborsky. Avangard took the lead as Sergei Kostitsyn netted a power play goal, powered by Nikita Nikitin and Zaborsky. Metallurg retied the game in the third period as Dmitry Kazionov recorded an unassisted goal. Omsk won the game 3-2 in overtime as Kirill Lyamin scored with thirty seconds left, courtesy of Nikitin and Kostitsyn. The three stars belong to Kostitsyn, Nikitin, and Zaborsky.
A bit to the northeast, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg hosts Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Mikhail Biryukov of Yugra and Evgeny Lobanov of Avtomobilist are in the creases. Stanislav Zhmakin put Yekaterinburg on the board first in the second period with a goal fueled by Nikolai Pronin. Khanty-Mansiysk tied the game in the third period as Igor Skorokhodov notched a goal, with guidance from Marek Troncinsky. The game went into a shootout, where Skorokhodov potted two goals for Yugra, besting Fyodor Malykhin's lone goal for Avtomobilist. Yugra picked up a 2-1 win, with Skorokhodov, Zhmakin, and Biryukov (40 for 41 in saves) getting the three stars.
Back south a touch to Chelyabinsk, as Traktor welcomes Barys Astana. Vitaly Yeremeyev for Barys and Michael Garnett for Traktor are in between the pipes. Chelyabinsk got started in the first period as Maxim Karpov scored, with a lone assist by Andrei Popov. Traktor added on as Andrei Kostitsyn scored, thanks to Deron Quint and Gennady Razin. Astana got one back in the second period with Dmitry Upper scoring, fueled by Alexei Litvinenko and Konstantin Rudenko. Chelyabinsk shot back when Anton Glinkin scored, passed from Jan Bulis (of Pass It to Bulis blogosphere fame). Traktor kept going with a Maxim Yakutsenya goal via Petri Kontiola and Konstantin Panov. Barys answered as Talgat Zhailauov netted the puck, assisted by Litvinenko and Konstantin Pushkaryov. Chelyabinsk extended their lead as Panov potted a goal, with the help of Yegor Dugin and Vladimir Antipov. Astana replaced Yeremeyev with Pavel Poluektov, and scored the next goal as Brandon Bochenski recorded a goal, pushed through by Dustin Boyd and Nikolai Antropov. Traktor iced off the game with an unassisted third period goal from Dugin to produce the 6-3 final score. The three stars belong to Panov, Dugin, and Litvinenko.
Well to the west, Slovan Bratislava hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Semyon Varlamov for Lokomotiv and Branislav Konrad for Slovan receive the starting nods. Yaroslavl began in the first period with a Maxim Trunyov goal, passed from Roman Lyuduchin. Lokomotiv extended the lead in the second period with an Alexei Kalyuzhny goal, assisted by Viktor Kozlov. Yaroslavl added on in the third period with an Artyom Anisimov goal, set up by Sergei Plotnikov and Yegor Yakovlev. Lokomotiv iced the game with a Lyuduchin unassisted goal for a 4-0 final. The three stars go to Varlamov (32 save shutout), Lyuduchin, and Trunyov.
Slightly to the northwest, Lev Praha hosts Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Votaly Koval for Torpedo and Tomas Popperle for Lev are the starting goalies. Nizhny Novgorod started in the first period as Alexei Ugarov scored, with assistance from Matt Ellison and Mikhail Varnakov on the power play. Praha tied it with a Jakub Klepis netted the puck, with the help of Ondrej Nemec. Lev took the lead when Zdeno Chara scored a power play goal, powered by Jiri Novotny and Jakub Voracek. Praha extended the lead in the second period as Novotny scored, guided in by Roman Cervenka and Voracek. Torpedo tried to rally back in the third period as Juuso Hietanen scored, thanks to Dmitry Makarov and Alexander Yevseyenkov. They got no closer, losing 3-2 to Lev, with the three stars being Novotny, Voracek, and Chara.
Back east, Salavat Yulaev Ufa hosts Spartak Moscow. Sergei Borisov for Spartak and Vadim Tarasov for Salavat Yulaev are the masked men. Moscow quickly opened with a first period goal by Mikhail Zhukov, assisted by Alexander Suglobov. Ufa tied it on a Yury Trubachyov goal, made possible by Nikita Filatov and Denis Parshin. Salavat Yulaev took the lead on a Igor Mirnov goal, courtesy of Antti Pihlstrom and Alexei Kaigorodov. Spartak tied it in the third period as Suglobov recorded an unassisted and shorthanded goal tie tie the game. Ufa won the game with goals by Parshin and Trubachyov in the shootout, for a 3-2 final. The three stars go to Trubachyov, Suglobov, and Parshin.
Speaking of Moscow, we head there as Dynamo hosts Vityaz Chekhov. Ivan Kasutin for Vityaz and Alexi Volkov for Dynamo are all padded up. Chekhov was first to score in the first period with a Alexander Korolyuk goal, fueled by Artemy Panarin and Dinar Khafizullin. Moscow tied it as Nicklas Backstrom scored, with the help of Alexander Ovechkin and Richard Gynge. Vityaz took the lead back with a Brian Fahey goal, set up by Vladimir Malevich and Josh Hennessy. Chekhov extended the lead in the second period on a Anton Korolyov goal, assisted by Evgeny Timkin. Dynamo pulled back in the third period as Backstrom notched his second goal of the game, guided in by Filip Novak. Moscow pulled even with a Konstantin Volkov goal, thanks to Janne Jalasvaara. Dynamo completed the comeback in overtime as Backstrom put away an unassisted goal to complete his hat trick and a 4-3 victory. The three stars are Backstrom, Volkov, and Korolyov.
Staying in the city, CSKA Moscow hosts Atlant Moscow Oblast (for North America, an Oblast is like what we call a State). Stanislav Galimov for Atlant and Rastislav Stana for CSKA play in the blue paint. CSKA got going in the first period as Alexander Radulov scored, with a lone assist provided by Sergei Shirokov on the power play. CSKA extended the lead to 2-0 in the third period on an Ilya Zubov goal, fueled by Radulov and Evgeny Ryasensky. This was a final, with Radulov, Stana (14 save shutout), and Zubov getting the three stars.
To the west, with SKA St. Petersburg hosting Dinamo Minsk. Pekka Rinne for Dinamo and Sergei Bobrovsky for SKA make up the NHL-level goalie battle. St. Petersburg opened early in the first period as Patrick Thoresen scored an unassisted goal. SKA extended the lead on a Maxim Rybin goal, fueled by Thoresen and Dmitry Vorobyov. Minsk got on the board in the second period as Teemu Laine scored, with assists credited to Tim Stapleton and Cory Murphy. St. Petersburg replied in the third period as Viktor Tikhonov scored, with the helped of Kevin Dallman and Vladimir Tarasenko. SKA iced the game at 4-1 with an Alexander Kucheryavenko goal, passed from Igor Makarov. The three stars are awarded to Thoresen, Bobrovsky (43 for 44 in saves), and Rybin.
Back east again, as Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk hosts Donbass Donetsk. Jan Laco for Donbass and Matt Dalton for Neftekhimik tend the twines. Donetsk quickly scored in the first period as Sergei Varlamov scored, thanks to Alexei Ponikarovsky and Ruslan Fedotenko. Donbass extended the lead in the second period with a Peter Podhradsky goal, fueled by Fedotenko and Varlamov. Nizhnekamsk got on the board with an unassisted Oskar Osala goal. Neftekhimik tied the game in the third period with a power play goal from Renat Mamashev, powered by Maxim Pestushko. Donetsk ended up winning 3-2 after a Fedotenko shootout goal secured the victory. The three stars belong to Fedotenko, Varlamov, and Mamashev.
Finally, we end in Kazan, as Ak Bars hosts Dinamo Riga. Mikael Tellqvist for Dinamo and Konstantin Barulin for Ak Bars guard the cages. Kazan led off in the first period with a Niko Kapanen goal, set up by Ilya Nikulin and Alexei Morozov. Ak Bars extended the lead as Janne Pesonen scored, with the help of Dmitry Obukhov and Jarkko Immonen. Kazan iced it at 3-0 with an empty net goal by Danis Zaripov, passed from Morozov. The three stars go to Barulin (28 save shutout), Morozov, and Kapanen.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 17
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part seventeen tells us of star pitcher Matt Cain.
Matt Cain was born on October 1, 1984, in Dothan, Alabama. He graduated from Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee, and was drafted in the first round with the twenty-fifth overall selection by the San Francisco Giants in 2002. He was immediately assigned to the Rookie level Arizona League Giants, where he played in eight games during the 2002 season, posting a 3.72 earned run average with twenty strikeouts in nineteen and one-third innings. In 2003, Cain moved up to the Class A South Atlantic League, where he played for the Hagerstown Suns of Hagerstown, Maryland. He pitched to a 2.55 earned run average, while accumulating ninety strikeouts over seventy-four innings. Cain split his 2004 season in half, beginning with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, posting a 1.86 earned run average, eighty-nine strikeouts, and seventy-two and two-thirds innings. Midway through the season, he was promoted to the Class AA Norwich Navigators of Norwich, Connecticut in the Eastern League. With Norwich, he pitched to a 3.35 earned run average while striking out seventy-two batters in eighty-six innings of work. The 2005 campaign was also a split season for Cain, beginning with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. Here, his statistics read a 4.39 earned run average, with 176 strikeouts in 145 and 2/3 innings pitched. While not stellar numbers, he earned a call up to the San Francisco Giants, starting seven games, with a debut of August 29, 2005. In the audition stint, he recorded a 2.33 earned run average with thirty strikeouts over forty-six and one-third innings. The immediate major league level success is both rare and admirable for the then-twenty year old pitcher. Also prevalent in his time throughout the various minor leagues was Cain's aversion to injury, which earned him a label as a workhorse. This was evident, as in his third start, he pitched a complete game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. For 2006, Cain was inserted into the rotation for a full-time role, and he delivered an average level of production, with a 4.15 earned run average, 179 strikeouts, and 190 and 2/3 innings pitched. He recorded his first shutout on May 21st of the season, and was in contention for Rookie of the Year throughout the season, but finished that race tied for fifth. In 2007, Cain pitched to a 3.65 earned run average, tenth best in the National League, while striking out 163 batters in 200 innings. However, a trend had started to develop: Cain received very little run support in his starts, as evidenced by the 7-16 record, as well as the team record of 9-23 in games Cain started. Twenty-one times during the season, Cain received two runs or less of support. He was able to help his own cause at times though, by hitting his first two career home runs in games against the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. The 2008 season was very similar for Cain, who pitched to a 3.76 earned run average with 186 strikeouts in 217 and 2/3 innings pitched, but his record was only 8-14, again due to the failure of the offense behind him to give him run support. He also hit another two home runs in the season. His fortunes turned for the better in 2009, as he shaved his earned run average to 2.89 while striking out 171 batters in 217 and 2/3 innings pitched. His personal achievements in the 14-8 season included his first All-Star Game nomination, which he surrendered due to a minor injury that required rest over the break, as well as the Giants team award named for Willie McCovey. The Willie Mac award, as it's called, is voted on by the players and coaches of the Giants for the player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership that McCovey was also known for. However, to the greater baseball world, Cain was a second thought to 2008 and 2009 Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum, and this theme persisted in 2010, leaving Cain in more of a secret weapon role in the rotation. He excelled under the radar, pitching to a 3.14 earned run average, with 177 strikeouts in a career-high 223 and 1/3 innings pitched. He pitched four complete games and two shutouts during the season, although despite sterling halfway statistics, was not named to the All-Star team. Cain was also a rock for the Giants' 2010 postseason run, his first appearance in the playoffs. He allowed only one unearned run in the postseason, against the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series, pitching twenty-one and one-third innings with a 0.00 earned run average. He is the fifth pitcher to pitch over twenty innings without an earned run. He also got the Giants started with seven innings of shutout ball in the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, and seven and two-thirds innings in Game 2 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers, helping the Giants to a World Series title. He improved his numbers slightly in 2011, although he still pitched in Lincecum's shadow. For the season, he had a 2.88 earned run average, 179 strikeouts, and 221 and 2/3 innings, although he was again a victim of a lack of run support often as evidenced by his 12-11 record. Overall, the quiet 2011 was a perfect contrast to a very exciting 2012 for Cain. He pitched in the home opener, throwing his third one-hit shutout of his career. In his next start, he pitched in one of the better modern-day duels against Cliff Lee and the Philadelphia Phillies, in which Cain's nine scoreless innings of two-hit ball were bested by ten scoreless innings from Lee. He was even more dominant on June 13, 2012, where he pitched the twenty-second perfect game in the history of major league baseball, against the Houston Astros. In this game, he struck out a whopping fourteen batters. This was the first perfect game in Giants history, the second perfect game of the season, the fifth no-hitter, and featured the most run support for a perfect game with ten runs scored. The day is now commemorated in San Francisco as Matt Cain Day. The dominance Cain possessed, as well as the status of de-facto ace, earned him the starting nod in the 2012 All-Star Game, his third nomination. He pitched two innings, and left with a lead that held up for a win, while teammate Melky Cabrera led the offensive attack in the 8-0 shutout by the National League team. Cain put himself in another piece of history when he hit his sixth home run off of Phillies' pitcher Cole Hamels, before giving up a home run in the bottom of the inning to Hamels, making July 21st the first time since 2003 that two pitchers hit home runs off of each other. Cain went into the postseason as a staff ace, although his second trip to the playoffs was not as individually impressive. However, he pitched in five games, including all three series clinching games for the Giants. He lost to the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, before besting them later in the series in Game 5. He repeated the trick against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series, getting beat in Game 3 before exacting revenge in the decisive Game 7. This aligned Cain to pitch in Game 4 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers, where he helped the Giants lock down a sweep for his second World Series Championship with the Giants in three years. His overall postseason earned run average was a pedestrian 3.60, but his ability to come up bug when needed further endeared him to the Giants faithful.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Matt Cain was born on October 1, 1984, in Dothan, Alabama. He graduated from Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee, and was drafted in the first round with the twenty-fifth overall selection by the San Francisco Giants in 2002. He was immediately assigned to the Rookie level Arizona League Giants, where he played in eight games during the 2002 season, posting a 3.72 earned run average with twenty strikeouts in nineteen and one-third innings. In 2003, Cain moved up to the Class A South Atlantic League, where he played for the Hagerstown Suns of Hagerstown, Maryland. He pitched to a 2.55 earned run average, while accumulating ninety strikeouts over seventy-four innings. Cain split his 2004 season in half, beginning with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, posting a 1.86 earned run average, eighty-nine strikeouts, and seventy-two and two-thirds innings. Midway through the season, he was promoted to the Class AA Norwich Navigators of Norwich, Connecticut in the Eastern League. With Norwich, he pitched to a 3.35 earned run average while striking out seventy-two batters in eighty-six innings of work. The 2005 campaign was also a split season for Cain, beginning with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. Here, his statistics read a 4.39 earned run average, with 176 strikeouts in 145 and 2/3 innings pitched. While not stellar numbers, he earned a call up to the San Francisco Giants, starting seven games, with a debut of August 29, 2005. In the audition stint, he recorded a 2.33 earned run average with thirty strikeouts over forty-six and one-third innings. The immediate major league level success is both rare and admirable for the then-twenty year old pitcher. Also prevalent in his time throughout the various minor leagues was Cain's aversion to injury, which earned him a label as a workhorse. This was evident, as in his third start, he pitched a complete game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. For 2006, Cain was inserted into the rotation for a full-time role, and he delivered an average level of production, with a 4.15 earned run average, 179 strikeouts, and 190 and 2/3 innings pitched. He recorded his first shutout on May 21st of the season, and was in contention for Rookie of the Year throughout the season, but finished that race tied for fifth. In 2007, Cain pitched to a 3.65 earned run average, tenth best in the National League, while striking out 163 batters in 200 innings. However, a trend had started to develop: Cain received very little run support in his starts, as evidenced by the 7-16 record, as well as the team record of 9-23 in games Cain started. Twenty-one times during the season, Cain received two runs or less of support. He was able to help his own cause at times though, by hitting his first two career home runs in games against the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. The 2008 season was very similar for Cain, who pitched to a 3.76 earned run average with 186 strikeouts in 217 and 2/3 innings pitched, but his record was only 8-14, again due to the failure of the offense behind him to give him run support. He also hit another two home runs in the season. His fortunes turned for the better in 2009, as he shaved his earned run average to 2.89 while striking out 171 batters in 217 and 2/3 innings pitched. His personal achievements in the 14-8 season included his first All-Star Game nomination, which he surrendered due to a minor injury that required rest over the break, as well as the Giants team award named for Willie McCovey. The Willie Mac award, as it's called, is voted on by the players and coaches of the Giants for the player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership that McCovey was also known for. However, to the greater baseball world, Cain was a second thought to 2008 and 2009 Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum, and this theme persisted in 2010, leaving Cain in more of a secret weapon role in the rotation. He excelled under the radar, pitching to a 3.14 earned run average, with 177 strikeouts in a career-high 223 and 1/3 innings pitched. He pitched four complete games and two shutouts during the season, although despite sterling halfway statistics, was not named to the All-Star team. Cain was also a rock for the Giants' 2010 postseason run, his first appearance in the playoffs. He allowed only one unearned run in the postseason, against the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series, pitching twenty-one and one-third innings with a 0.00 earned run average. He is the fifth pitcher to pitch over twenty innings without an earned run. He also got the Giants started with seven innings of shutout ball in the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, and seven and two-thirds innings in Game 2 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers, helping the Giants to a World Series title. He improved his numbers slightly in 2011, although he still pitched in Lincecum's shadow. For the season, he had a 2.88 earned run average, 179 strikeouts, and 221 and 2/3 innings, although he was again a victim of a lack of run support often as evidenced by his 12-11 record. Overall, the quiet 2011 was a perfect contrast to a very exciting 2012 for Cain. He pitched in the home opener, throwing his third one-hit shutout of his career. In his next start, he pitched in one of the better modern-day duels against Cliff Lee and the Philadelphia Phillies, in which Cain's nine scoreless innings of two-hit ball were bested by ten scoreless innings from Lee. He was even more dominant on June 13, 2012, where he pitched the twenty-second perfect game in the history of major league baseball, against the Houston Astros. In this game, he struck out a whopping fourteen batters. This was the first perfect game in Giants history, the second perfect game of the season, the fifth no-hitter, and featured the most run support for a perfect game with ten runs scored. The day is now commemorated in San Francisco as Matt Cain Day. The dominance Cain possessed, as well as the status of de-facto ace, earned him the starting nod in the 2012 All-Star Game, his third nomination. He pitched two innings, and left with a lead that held up for a win, while teammate Melky Cabrera led the offensive attack in the 8-0 shutout by the National League team. Cain put himself in another piece of history when he hit his sixth home run off of Phillies' pitcher Cole Hamels, before giving up a home run in the bottom of the inning to Hamels, making July 21st the first time since 2003 that two pitchers hit home runs off of each other. Cain went into the postseason as a staff ace, although his second trip to the playoffs was not as individually impressive. However, he pitched in five games, including all three series clinching games for the Giants. He lost to the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, before besting them later in the series in Game 5. He repeated the trick against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series, getting beat in Game 3 before exacting revenge in the decisive Game 7. This aligned Cain to pitch in Game 4 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers, where he helped the Giants lock down a sweep for his second World Series Championship with the Giants in three years. His overall postseason earned run average was a pedestrian 3.60, but his ability to come up bug when needed further endeared him to the Giants faithful.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
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