NFL Week 1 2013

There are thirteen games on today, ten in the morning wave, two afternoon, and one night game. We begin in...

Buffalo, as the Bills host the New England Patriots. New England was first to score in the first quarter with a Tom Brady 9 yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman, and Stephen Gostkowski handled the extra point. The Patriots added on as Gostkowski made a 48 yard field goal. Buffalo got on the board in the second quarter when Da'Norris Searcy recovered a fumble by Stevan Ridley and took it 74 yards for a touchdown, followed by a Dan Carpenter extra point. New England answered as Brady found Edelman again, this time for 8 yards and a touchdown, and Gostkowski was true with the extra point. The Bills got some back as EJ Manuel passed 18 yards to Robert Woods for a touchdown, and Carpenter handled the PAT. Buffalo took the lead in the third quarter with a Manuel touchdown pass to Stevie Johnson for 18 yards, and Carpenter booted another extra point. The Patriots chipped back as Gostkowski knocked in a 33 yard field goal in the fourth quarter. New England took the lead late with a Gostkowski 35 yard field goal, and this held up for a 23-21 victory. The Patriots start the season 1-0 and the Bills begin at 0-1.

Down in New Orleans, the Saints welcome the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta led off in the first quarter with a Matt Ryan touchdown pass of 7 yards to Tony Gonzalez, and Matt Bryant made the extra point. The Falcons added on with a Bryant field goal of 23 yards. New Orleans got on the board in the second quarter with a 48 yard field goal by Garrett Hartley. The Saints tied it when Drew Brees tossed a 25 yard touchdown pass to Marques Colston, and Hartley handled the extra point. New Orleans pulled ahead with a Hartley field goal from 31 yards away. Atlanta retook the lead in the third quarter with a Ryan touchdown pass of 4 yards to Julio Jones, and Bryant knocked in the PAT. The Saints answered with Brees locating Jimmy Graham for 7 yards and a touchdown, and Hartley supplied the extra point. New Orleans extended the lead in the fourth quarter on a Hartley field goal from just 22 yards out. This produced the 23-17 final score. The Saints begin the year at 1-0 and the Falcons will start from an 0-1 hole.

Moving east to Jacksonville, where the Jaguars bring in the Kansas City Chiefs. Jacksonville got going in the first quarter as the special teams unit blocked a Dustin Colquitt punt attempt and were able to pin the Chiefs in the end zone for a safety. Kansas City took the lead as Alex Smith found Donnie Avery for 5 yards and a touchdown, and Ryan Succop kicked in the extra point. The Chiefs padded the lead with a Smith touchdown pass of 3 yards to Junior Hemingway, and Succop was there with another extra point. Kansas City added on in the second quarter as Jamaal Charles ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Succop knocked in the PAT. The scoring was silent until the fourth quarter, when Tamba Hali intercepted Blaine Gabbert and returned the ball 10 yards for a touchdown, allowing Succop to make another extra point. This was all there was for the game, resulting a 28-2 victory for the Chiefs, who begin the season 1-0 while the Jaguars start at 0-1.

Up the Atlantic coast, the Carolina Panthers host the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle opened in the second quarter with a Steven Hauschka field goal from 27 yards. Carolina took the lead as Cam Newton passed 3 yards to Steve Smith for a touchdown, and Graham Gano knocked in the extra point. The Seahawks pulled back in the third quarter with a Hauschka field goal good from 40 yards away. Seattle took the lead in the fourth quarter on a Russell Wilson touchdown pass of 43 yards to Jermaine Kearse, but Wilson's two-point attempt for Doug Baldwin failed. Nonetheless, the Seahawks held on for a 12-7 victory and are 1-0 to start the season while the Panthers find themselves at 0-1.

Over in Indianapolis, the Colts host the Oakland Raiders. Indianapolis struck first in the first quarter on an Andrew Luck touchdown pass of 12 yards to Reggie Wayne, and Adam Vinatieri made the extra point. The Colts extended the lead in the second quarter when Luck found Dwayne Allen for 20 yards and a touchdown, and Vinatieri was true with the extra point. Oakland got on the board with a 1 yard touchdown run from Darren McFadden, and Sebastian Janikowski kicked in the PAT. The Raiders pulled closer in the third quarter as Janikowski kicked a 38 yard field goal. Oakland took the lead in the fourth quarter with a Terrelle Pryor 5 yard touchdown pass to Denarius Moore, iced off by a Janikowski extra point. Indianapolis retook the lead as Luck ran 19 yards for a touchdown, and Vinatieri supplied the extra point. The scoring ended here, meaning the Colts win 21-7 to start the season at 1-0 while the Raiders will begin at 0-1.

Backing up into Pennsylvania, where the Pittsburgh Steelers welcome the Tennessee Titans. Pittsburgh scored early, as when they kicked off to start the first quarter, Darius Reynaud was unable to escape the end zone and was tackled for a safety. Tennessee took the lead in the second quarter with a Jackie Battle 3 yard touchdown run, and Rob Bironas was there with the extra point. The Titans added on as Bironas booted a 26 yard field goal in the third quarter. Tennessee extended the lead with a Bironas field goal of 44 yards in the fourth quarter. The Titans got some more when Bironas knocked in a 27 yard field goal. The Steelers got some back as Ben Roethlisberger passed 4 yards to Jericho Cotchery for a touchdown, and Shaun Suisham kicked in the PAT. They failed to get any closer, losing 16-9, with the Titans starting the year at 1-0 and the Steelers beginning at 0-1.


Next up, the New York Jets bring in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New York began in the first quarter when Josh Freeman recovered his own fumble in his own end zone, and was tackled for a safety. Tampa Bay got on the board with a 17 yard pass from Freeman to Mike Williams, and Rian Lindell knocked in the extra point. The Jets got some back with a Nick Folk field goal of 43 yards in the second quarter. The Buccaneers replied with a Doug Martin touchdown run of 5 yards, and Lindell was there with the extra point. New York shot back as Geno Smith passed a 7 yard touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow, and Folk was true with the PAT. The scoring was silent until the fourth quarter, when Folk kicked a 30 yard field goal to put the Jets ahead. Tampa Bay retook the lead on a 37 yard field goal by Lindell. New York retook the lead late on a 48 yard field goal by Folk, sealing an 18-17 victory. The Jets begin the season at 1-0 and the Buccaneers fall to a heartbreaking 0-1.

West to Cleveland, where the Browns host the Miami Dolphins. Miami led off in the first quarter with a Caleb Sturgis field goal of 45 yards. The Dolphins added on in the second quarter on a Sturgis field goal from 49 yards out. Cleveland took the lead with a Brandon Weeden 7 yard touchdown pass to Jordan Cameron, and Billy Cundiff supplied the go-ahead extra point. Miami shot back in the third quarter as Ryan Tannehill tossed a 34 yard touchdown pass to Brian Hartline, and Sturgis knocked in the extra point. The Browns got some back as Cundiff handled a 39 yard field goal. The Dolphins responded the in the fourth quarter with a Daniel Thomas 1 yard touchdown run, and Sturgis was true with the PAT. Miami got some more as Sturgis booted a 36 yard field goal. This was good for a 23-10 win, and the Dolphins begin at 1-0 while the Browns start at 0-1.

Up in Detroit, the Lions welcome the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota started in the first quarter as Adrian Peterson ran 78 yards for a touchdown, and Blair Walsh supplied the extra point. Detroit got on the board with a David Akers 33 yard field goal. The Lions got closer with an Akers field goal from 42 yards out in the second quarter. The Vikings shot back as Peterson ran 4 yards for a touchdown, and Walsh kicked the extra point. Detroit pulled back with a Joique Bell touchdown run of 2 yards, and Akers was true with the extra point. The Lions took the lead in the third quarter as Bell ran in another touchdown, this time from 1 yard out, and Akers again kicked the PAT. Minnesota got some back with a Walsh field goal of 52 yards. Detroit extended their lead as Matthew Stafford threw a 77 yard touchdown pass to Reggie Bush, and Akers knocked home the extra point. The Vikings shot back as Christian Ponder found Peterson for a 4 yard touchdown pass, and Walsh was there with the extra point. The Lions responded on a fourth quarter Stafford touchdown pass of 1 yard to Joseph Fauria, and Akers was true on the extra point. They held on for a 34-24 win, and the Lions begin the year at 1-0 while the Vikings are 0-1 to start.

Down in Chicago, the Bears bring in the Cincinnati Bengals. Chicago was first to score in the first quarter as Jay Cutler passed 8 yards for a touchdown to Martellus Bennett, and Robbie Gould made the extra point. Cincinnati pulled even after Andy Dalton connected with A.J. Green on a 2 yard touchdown pass, and Mike Nugent kicked the extra point. The Bengals took the lead in the second quarter as Dalton found Green again, this time for 45 yards and the touchdown, and Nugent was there with the PAT. The Bears got some back as Gould knocked in a 58 yard field goal. Cincinnati replied in the third quarter with a 5 yard touchdown run by BenJarvus Green-Ellis, and Nugent again made the extra point. Chicago replied with a 1 yard Matt Forte touchdown run, with Gould finishing it off by making the extra point. The Bears took the lead in the fourth quarter as Cutler tossed a 19 yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall, and Gould handled the extra point. This play was the decisive one, as the Bears went on to win 24-21, beginning the season at 1-0 and dropping the Bengals to an 0-1 start.

Into the afternoon games, beginning in St. Louis, as the Rams host the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona struck first in the second quarter on a 4 yard Carson Palmer touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald, and Jay Feely handled the extra point. St. Louis got on the board with a Greg Zuerlein 36 yard field goal. The Cardinals replied with a Feely field goal of 30 yards. The Rams tied it with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Sam Bradford to Jared Cook, and Zuerlein made the tying extra point. St. Louis took the lead in the third quarter on a Zuerlein field goal of 25 yards. Arizona took the lead back as Dan Williams intercepted Bradford and took the ball 2 yards for a touchdown, and Feely booted the PAT. The Cardinals added on as Palmer found Fitzgerald for 24 yards and a touchdown, and Feely was there with the extra point. The Rams pulled back in the fourth quarter with a Bradford touchdown pass of 1 yard to Cook, and then Bradford ran in a successful two point conversion. St. Louis tied it as Zuerlein made a 38 yard field goal. The Rams took a late lead on a 48 yard field goal by Zuerlein. They held on to win 27-24, starting the season at 1-0 while the Cardinals begin at 0-1.

Way out west, the San Francisco 49ers host the Green Bay Packers. San Francisco began in the first quarter with a 20 yard Colin Kaepernick touchdown pass to Vernon Davis, and Phil Dawson made the extra point. Green Bay tied it as Aaron Rodgers threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb, and Mason Crosby had the equalizing extra point. The 49ers took the lead in the second quarter with a 10 yard touchdown pass from Kaepernick to Anquan Boldin, and Dawson again made the extra point. The Packers pulled even again as Rodgers found Jermichael Finley for 12 yards and a touchdown, and Crosby again had the extra point. San Francisco retook the lead in the third quarter as Kaepernick connected with Davis again, this time for 2 yards and a touchdown, and Dawson handled the PAT. Green Bay tied it as Rodgers passed 8 yards for Jordy Nelson for a touchdown, and Crosby booted another extra point. The 49ers took the lead back in the fourth quarter on a Dawson 27 yard field goal. The Packers retook the lead as Eddie Lacy ran in a 2 yard touchdown, and Crosby drilled the extra point. San Francisco took the lead back with a Frank Gore touchdown run of 1 yard, and Dawson was true with the extra point. The 49ers got some more when Dawson made a 33 yard field goal to make the score 34-28. Despite their best efforts late, the Packers failed to catch up, sending the 49ers to 1-0 and the Packers to 0-1.

Finally, on Sunday Night Football, the Dallas Cowboys bring in the New York Giants. Dallas got going with a first quarter Dan Bailey field goal of 30 yards. New York tied it as Josh Brown made it a 20 yard field goal. The Cowboys retook the lead in the second quarter on a Bailey field goal of 38 yards. Dallas extended the lead with a Tony Romo touchdown pass of 15 yards to Jason Witten, and Bailey was there with the extra point. The Giants answered as Eli Manning passed 70 yards for a touchdown to Victor Cruz, and Brown nailed the extra point. The Cowboys added on when Barry Church returned a fumble by David Wilson for 27 yards and a touchdown, and Bailey was true with the PAT. Dallas padded the lead as Romo connected with Witten for 4 yards and a touchdown, and Bailey again made the extra point. New York got some back as Manning found Cruz again for 18 yards and a touchdown, and Brown was good with the extra point. The Cowboys shot back as Bailey made a 45 yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The Giants pulled back with Manning's third touchdown pass to Cruz, this time for 10 yards, and Brown again handled the extra point. Dallas struck again when Brandon Carr intercepted Manning and returned the ball for a 49 yard touchdown, capped off by a Bailey extra point. New York reclaimed some points with Manning passing a 4 yard touchdown to Brandon Myers, and Brown was there with the extra point, but they still lost 36-31. The Cowboys are now 1-0 and the Giants begin the year 0-1.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

KHL Day 5 2013-2014

There was no hockey on yesterday in memory of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash from two weeks ago. Today, there are twelve games on, beginning in...

Omsk, as Avangard hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Curtis Sanford of Lokomotiv and Teemu Lassila of Avangard are in front of the nets. Omsk was first to score in the first period with an Alexander Popov power play goal, going in unassisted. Yaroslavl tied it in the second period as Anton But scored a power play goal, with a lone helper from Jonas Holos. Avangard replied on a Tomas Zaborsky goal, thanks to Denis Kulyash. Omsk added on with an unassisted goal by Alexander Perezhogin. Avangard extended the lead with a Sergei Kostitsyn power play goal, via Perezhogin. Omsk kept going with a Miroslav Blatak goal, assisted by Denis Kazionov and Oleg Kvasha. Lokomotiv took one back when Alexander Chernikov scored, courtesy of Alexei Kruchinin. This was it for the scoring, resulting in a 5-2 for Avangard, and the three stars were Perezhogin, Kostitsyn, and Lassila (32 for 34 in saves).

For the first time this season, we venture into Kazakhstan, where Barys Astana welcomes Severstal Cherepovets. Ivan Kasutin of Severstal and Ari Ahonen of Barys are set to start. Astana led off in the first period with a Dustin Boyd goal, coming off of Nigel Dawes and Mike Lundin. Barys added on in the second period as Brandon Bochenski scored, with a lone assist from Dawes. Cherepovets got on the board when Teemu Laasko scored, thanks to Bogdan Kiselevich and Alexei Medvedev on the power play. Astana replied with a Fyodor Polishchuk goal, set up by Talgat Zhailaouv and Maxim Spiridonov. Barys struck again with a Mikhail Rakhmanov goal, made possible by Josh Gratton and Andrei Gavrilin. Astana extended the lead with an unassisted goal by Dawes. Barys kept going with a Dmitry Upper goal, assisted by Konstantin Rudenko and Roman Starchenko. Astana padded the lead again with a Bochenski power play goal, going in unassisted. Severstal pulled Kasutin from the crease before the third period, replacing him with Artyom Artemyev. Barys got another in the third period as Starchenko scored a goal, helped along by Rudenko and Upper. Astana was relentless, as Rudenko scored, with assists credited to Maxim Semyonov and Upper. Barys wrapped it up at 10-1 with a Dawes power play goal, powered by Lundin and Evgeny Blokhin. The three stars went to Dawes, Upper, and Rudenko, while Starchenko, Bochenski, and Lundin get the honorable mentions.

Back in Russia, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg brings in SKA St. Petersburg. Ilyz Ezhov for SKA and Evgeny Lobanov for Avtomobilist are given the starting nods. St. Petersburg opened with a first period goal by Vadim Shipachyov, with a lone helper by Evgeny Ketov. SKA added on with a second period Patrick Thoresen goal, going in unassisted. St. Petersburg extended the lead with a Viktor Tikhonov goal, passed from Alexander Kucheryavenko and Artemy Panarin. Yekaterinburg got on the board when Artyom Chernov scored, with the help of Anton Lazarev. SKA shot back with a Kucheryavenko goal, assisted by Alexei Semenov and Panarin. Jakub Kovar relieved Lobanov in goal at this time. It didn't help, as St. Petersburg got another from Evgeny Skachkov, set up by Maxim Chudinov. Avtomobilist answered in the third period with a power play goal by Fyodor Malykhin, powered by Lazarev and Chernov. Yekaterinburg pulled closer with a Lazarev goal, fueled by Malykhin. SKA got one back as Panarin put away an unassisted goal. Avtomobilist chipped back with another Malykhin goal, helped along by Chernov. This was as close as it got, with the final putting SKA on top 6-4. The three stars were awarded to Panarin, Kucheryavenko, and Malykhin, while Lazarev and Chernov get the honorable mentions.

In the west, Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk hosts Atlant Mytishchi. Stanislav Galimov of Atlant and Mikhail Biryukov of Yugra will be in the blue paint. Khanty-Mansiysk began in the first period on an Ivan Khlyntsev goal, with a lone assist by Mikhail Yakubov. Yugra added on with a Kirill Knyazev goal, courtesy of Vitaly Sitnikov. Khanty-Mansiysk extended the lead in the second period as Sitnikov scored, thanks to Andrei Shefer. Mytishchi got on the board in the third period when Nikita Soshnikov potted the puck, with assists provided by Alexander Kadeikin and Igor Levitsky. Yugra iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Vladimir Gorbunov, passed from Knyazev. The three stars were Sitnikov, Knyazev, and Biryukov (29 for 30 in saves).

Moving along to Moscow, where Spartak welcomes Slovan Bratislava. Jaroslav Janus of Slovan and Jeff Glass of Spartak guard the cages. Moscow got going in the second period on an Alexei Krutov goal, courtesy of Alexander Ryazantsev and Mikhail Yunkov. Spartak added on as Deron Quint scored, via Viktor Bobrov. Moscow got their next goal on a penalty shot taken by Matt Anderson, which he was awarded after Zdenek Kutlak inappropriately handled the puck. Spartak struck again with another Anderson goal in the third period, assisted by Quint and Rastislav Spirko. Moscow wrapped it up with a Spirko power play goal, powered by Tom Wandell. This made it 5-0, the final, with the three stars going to Anderson, Glass (23 save shutout), and Spirko, while Quint gets an honorable mention.

Staying in Moscow, Dynamo brings in Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Matt Dalton of Neftekhimik and Alexander Yeryomenko of Dynamo are the masked men. Moscow struck first in the second period with a Leo Komarov power play goal, powered by Konstantin Gorovikov and Filip Novak. Dynamo added on with a Denis Mosalyov goal, made possible by Dominik Granak. Moscow extended the lead in the third period with another Mosalyov goal, via Marek Kvapil. Dynamo iced it at 4-0 with a Kvapil goal, passed from Maxim Pestushko and Alexei Tsvetkov. The three stars were Mosalyov, Kvapil, and Yeryomenko (31 save shutout).

Backtracking to Kazan, where Ak Bars hosts Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Andrei Vasilevsky for Salavat Yulaev and Konstantin Barulin for Ak Bars are in between the pipes. Kazan started in the first period with a Tim Stapleton goal, fueled by Alexander Burmistrov. Ak Bars added on with a power play goal by Shaun Heshka, with a lone assist from Burmistrov. Ufa got on the board in the second period with a power play goal by Denis Khlystov, powered by Vitaly Proshkin and Stefan Ruzicka. Salavat Yulaev tied it on a Proshkin goal, courtesy of Sergei Zinovyev. Kazan retook the lead in the third period as Kirill Petrov scored a power play goal, guided in by Ilya Nikulin. Ufa tied it again on a Kirill Koltsov goal, thanks to Teemu Hartikainen and Dmitry Makarov on the power play. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Ak Bars came out on top with a lone tally by Burmistrov for a 4-3 win. Burmistrov, Proshkin, and Petrov were the three stars.

Heading west again to Podolsk, where Vityaz welcomes Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasily Koshechkin of Metallurg and Johan Backlund of Vityaz will wear the masks. Magnitogorsk opened in the first period with a Viktor Antipin power play goal, powered by Jan Kovar and Sergei Mozyakin. Podolsk tied it with a Maxim Rybin goal, fueled by Josh Hennessy and Maxim Afinogenov. Vityaz took the lead as Hennessy scored a goal, set up by Vladimir Malevich and Afinogenov. Podolsk added on with an Alexander Korolyuk goal, guided in by Mike Iggulden and Dmitry Shitikov. Metallurg got one back as Danis Zaripov scored a power play goal, coming off of Kovar and Mozyakin. Vityaz shot back in the second period on a Korolyuk goal, via Iggulden and Nikita Korovkin. Magnitogorsk answered as Justin Hodgman scored a power play goal, with a lone helper by Chris Lee. Metallurg tied it in the third period with a Mozyakin goal, thanks to Evgeny Biryukov and Zaripov. Magnitogorsk took the lead on a Yaroslav Kosov goal, made possible by Yaroslav Khabarov and Alexander Pechursky. They held on for a 5-4 win, with the three stars being Mozyakin, Zaripov, and Kovar, while Korolyuk, Hennessy, Afinogenov, and Iggulden all get honorable mentions.

Over in Nizhny Novgorod, Torpedo brings in Traktor Chelyabinsk. Michael Garnett of Traktor and Vitaly Koval of Torpedo protect the nets. Nizhny Novgorod was first to score in the first period with a Denis Parshin goal, assisted by Pavel Lukin. Chelyabinsk tied it on a power play goal by Stanislav Chistov, powered by Alexander Guskov and Dmitry Ryabykin. Traktor took the lead with an Andrei Kostitsyn goal, coming on the power play via Petri Kontiola. Chelyabinsk added on as Lauris Darzins scored a goal, with a lone assist from Kostitsyn. The scoring was silent until the third period, when Traktor got a goal from Andrei Popov, passed from Dmitry Tsybin and Anton Glinkin. Torpedo answered with a Vladimir Galuzin goal, courtesy of Alexei Potapov and Vyacheslav Kulyomin. Nizhny Novgorod pulled closer with an Alexander Makarov goal, helped along by Parshin and Sakari Salminen. They failed to get an equalizer, dropping the game 4-3, with the three stars going to Kostitsyn, Popov, and Parshin.

Into Ukraine, where Donbass Donetsk hosts Lev Praha. Petri Vehanen of Lev and Jan Laco of Donbass are all padded up. Praha started with a first period goal by Calle Ridderwall, passed from Ondrej Nemec. Lev added on in the second period as Michal Repik scored, with a lone assist by Petr Vrana. Donetsk got on the board with a Clay Wilson power play goal, powered by Peter Podhradsky and Maxim Yakutsenya. Donbass tied it with a third period goal by Randy Robitaille, thanks to Lukas Kaspar. The game went to overtime, where Yakutsenya lifted Donetsk to a 3-2 win, with his goal assisted by Teemu Laine. Yakutsenya, Robitaille, and Laco (27 for 29 in saves) got the three stars.

Next up is Belarus, where Dinamo Minsk welcomes CSKA Moscow. Rastislav Stana of CSKA and Kevin Lalande of Dinamo tend the twines. Minsk got going in the second period on an Artur Gavrus goal, a power play goal with a lone assist by Zbynek Irgl. Moscow tied it with a third period Nikolai Prokhorkin goal, fueled by Ilya Zubov. The game went into overtime, where CSKA won 2-1 on a Georgy Misharin goal, assisted by Sergei Shirokov and Alexander Radulov. The three stars were Misharin, Stana (20 for 21 in saves), and Lalande (27 for 29 in saves).

Finally, we end in Croatia, where Medvescak Zagreb brings in Dinamo Riga. Mikael Tellqvist for Dinamo and Mark Dekanich for Medvescak occupy the creases. Riga struck first in the first period as Martins Cipulis scored, thanks to Arturs Kuzmenkovs. Zagreb answered with a second period goal by Gal Koren, passed from Boyd Kane and Kurtis Foster. Dinamo took the lead back with an Andris Dzerins goal, fueled by Vitalijs Pavlovs and Cipulis. Riga added on with an unassisted goal in the third period by Gints Meija. Dinamo extended the lead with a Mat Robinson goal, courtesy of Miks Indrasis and Paul Szczechura. Riga iced it at 5-1 with a Dzerins empty net goal, coming off of Roberts Bukarts and Robinson. The three stars were Cipulis, Robinson, and Dzerins.

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KHL Day 3 2013-2014

It's the first really big day for the KHL season, with ten games on in total. We begin in...

Khabarovsk, as Amur hosts Admiral Vladivostok. Joakim Lundstrom of Admiral and Alexei Murygin of Amur receive the starting nods. Vladivostok got going in the second period on a Niclas Bergfors goal, assisted by Richard Gynge and Felix Schutz on the power play. Admiral added on with another power play goal, scored by Vladimir Pervushin, powered by Sergei Lesnukhin and Viktor Drugov. Khabarovsk got on the board as Dmitry Tarasov scored, via Vladimir Loginov and Mikhail Fisenko. Amur tied it with a goal by Alexander Yunkov, passed from Tarasov. Vladivostok took the lead back in the third period on an Alexei Ugarov goal, courtesy of Schutz. Khabarovsk retied the game as Yunkov scored his second of the game, with assists provided by Brian Salcido and Timofei Shishkanov. The game lasted into a shootout, where Admiral prevailed on a lone goal by Enver Lisin. The three stars of the game belonged to Yunkov, Tarasov, and Schutz.

Westward to Omsk, where Avangard hosts SKA St. Petersburg. Alexander Salak of SKA and Teemu Lassila of Avangard are between the pipes. Omsk was first to score in the first period with a Kirill Lyamin goal, thanks to Denis Kazionov. St. Petersburg tied it with a shorthanded and unassisted goal by Viktor Tikhonov. SKA took the lead in the second period as Tikhonov scored another goal, with a lone assist from Alexander Kucheryavenko. St. Petersburg extended the lead with a power play goal by Kevin Dallman, powered by Roman Cervenka. SKA kept going with an unassisted goal by Kucheryavenko. St. Petersburg got another with an unassisted goal from Cervenka. The third period was scoreless, resulting in a 5-1 SKA victory. The three stars were Tikhonov, Kucheryavenko, and Cervenka, while Salak (27 for 28 in saves) gets an honorable mention.

Moving along to Yekaterinburg, where Avtomobilist hosts Severstal Cherepovets. Jakub Stepanek of Severstal and Jakub Kovar of Avtomobilist protect the nets. Cherepovets led off in the second period as Nikolai Bushuyev scored, thanks to Ignat Zemchenko. Yekaterinburg tied it on an unassisted goal by Stanislav Zhmakin. The tie lasted into a shootout, where Severstal received three goals from Gleb Klimenko, Vadim Berdnikov, and Zemchenko to top a single goal from Avtomobilist's Filipp Toluzakov for a 3-1 win. The three stars went to Zemchenko, Stepanek (36 for 37 in saves), and Kovar (27 for 28 in saves).

Next up, Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk welcomes Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Curtis Sanford of Lokomotiv and Mikhail Biryukov of Yugra tend the twines. Khanty-Mansiysk started in the second period as Vitaly Sitnikov potted the puck, with a lone assist by Igor Skorokhodov. Yaroslavl tied it with a power play goal by Emil Galimov, powered by Sergei Plotnikov. Yugra took the lead back in the third period on an Alexei Pepelyaev goal, guided in by Mikhail Yakubov and Jonas Andersson on the power play. This stood up for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Pepelyaev, Biryukov (35 for 36 in saves), and Sitnikov.

Onto Nizhnekamsk, where Neftekhimik brings in Ak Bars Kazan. Konstantin Barulin of Ak Bars and Alexander Sudnitsin of Neftekhimik are called upon to start. Kazan struck first in the first period with a Mikhail Varnakov goal, coming off of Tim Stapleton and Alexander Burmistrov. Nizhnekamsk tied it with a Branko Radivojevic power play goal, with a lone assist from Igor Polygalov. Neftekhimik took the lead in the third period on a Stanislav Romanov goal, guided in by Stanislv Alshevsky. Nizhnekamsk iced it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by Mikhail Anisin, set up by Vitaly Shulakov. The three stars were Romanov, Sudnitsin (26 for 27 in saves), and Radivojevic.

West to Nizhny Novgorod, where Torpedo hosts Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Iiro Tarkki for Salavat Yulaev and Vitaly Koval for Torpedo are in the blue paint. Ufa opened with a first period goal by Stefan Ruzicka, going in unassisted. Salavat Yulaev extended the lead with an unassisted goal by Alexander Mereskin. Nizhny Novgorod got one back in the second period with an unassisted power play goal scored by Tim Brent. Torpedo tied it with a shorthanded goal Vyacheslav Kulyomin, set up by Jarkko Immonen. The tie lasted deep into the shootout, with a fourth round exchange of goals by Denis Parshin of Nizhny Novgorod and Denis Khlystov of Ufa before Dmitry Makarov put Salavat Yulaev ahead for good in the tenth round for a 3-2 victory. Makarov, Ruzicka, and Mereskin get the three stars.

Moving along to a new city with an old team, as Vityaz Podolsk hosts Traktor Chelyabinsk. Michael Garnett for Traktor and Johan Backlund for Vityaz are guarding the cages. Podolsk began in the first period with a Branislav Mezei goal, courtesy of Maxim Rybin and Alexander Korolyuk. Vityaz added on with a Mike Iggulden goal, going in unassisted. Podolsk extended the lead when Dmitry Shitikov potted an unassisted goal. Vityaz padded the lead in the second period on a Maxim Afinogenov goal, with a lone helper from Alexander Rybakov. Chelyabinsk got on the board with an Evgeny Katichev goal, assisted by Lauris Darzins and Petri Kontiola. Traktor got another one back with an unassisted goal by Andrei Popov. Podolsk replied in the third period when Korolyuk scored, thanks to Iggulden and Vladimir Malevich. Chelyabinsk shot back on a Konstantin Panov goal, via Jan Bulis. They got no closer, falling 5-3, with the three stars going to Korolyuk, Iggulden, and Afinogenov.

For the first time ever, we head to Croatia, where Medvescak Zagreb hosts CSKA Moscow in their first ever KHL game. Rastislav Stana of CSKA and Mark Dekanich of Medvescak are in the creases. Zagreb opened with a Jonathan Cheechoo goal in the first period, assisted by Alan Letang. Medvescak added on with a Mark Popovic power play goal, with a lone assist by Ryan Vesce. Zagreb extended the lead in the second period with a Kurtis Foster power play goal, powered by Steve Montador and Matt Murley. Moscow found the scoreboard as Alexei Morozov scored, thanks to Sergei Shirokov and Alexander Radulov on the power play. Medvescak replied with a Vesce power play goal, coming off of Mathieu Carle and Popovic. Zagreb padded the lead with a third period goal by Vesce, helped along by Charles Linglet and Letang. Medvescak kept going as Cheechoo scored his second of the game, via Andrew Murray. Zagreb wrapped it up as a 7-1 victory with a Linglet goal, dished from Vesce and Popovic on the power play. The three stars were Vesce, Cheechoo, and Popovic, while Linglet and Letang get the honorable mentions.

Speaking of Moscow, we head back there as Dynamo hosts Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasily Koshechkin of Metallurg and Alexander Yeryomenko of Dynamo will be the masked men. Magnitogorsk started with a first period power play goal by Jan Kovar, coming off of Justin Hodgman. Moscow tied it with a power play goal by Leo Komarov, powered by Maxim Pestushko. Dynamo took the lead as Pestushko scored a second period power play goal, via Dmitry Vishnevsky. Moscow added on in the third period with a Janne Jalasvaara goal, guided in by Marek Kvapil and Dmitry Pestunov. This stood up for a 3-1 win, with the three stars going to Petushko, Yeryomenko (28 for 29 in saves), and Komarov.

Finally, over in Donetsk, Donbass hosts Slovan Bratislava. Jaroslav Janus for Slovan and Jan Laco for Donbass are all padded up. Donetsk struck first in the first period on a Lukas Kaspar goal, courtesy of Oleg Piganovich and Dmitry Kagarlitsky. Donbass added on in the second period as Evgeny Belukhin scored, with the help of Clay Wilson. Bratislava got on the board with a Marko Dano goal, with a lone assist from Tomas Mikus. Slovan tied it in the third period when Milan Bartovic scored, thanks to Milan Kolena and Jonathan Sigalet. Donetsk took the lead back on a Maxim Yakutsenya goal coming off of Piganovich on the power play. Donbass iced it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Jan Kolar, an unassisted goal. Yakutsenya, Piganovich, and Kaspar get the three stars.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Thursday Night Football Week 1 2013

Welcome to NFL season everybody. I am back for another season, hopefully of equal quality as the years before. We begin this season with...

The Denver Broncos hosting the defending Super Bowl champions, the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore led off with a first quarter touchdown pass by Joe Flacco to Vonta Leach, a 2 yard connection, followed by a Justin Tucker extra point. Denver tied the game with a second quarter touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Julius Thomas for 24 yards, and Matt Prater tied the game with the extra point. The Ravens took the lead back as Ray Rice ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Tucker knocked in the extra point. The Broncos retied the game as Manning found Julius Thomas again for a 23 yard touchdown pass, and Prater was true with the extra point. Baltimore got the lead back just before halftime with a field goal of 25 yards by Tucker. Denver regained the lead in the third quarter as Manning tossed a 28 yard touchdown pass to Andre Caldwell, setting up Prater for another extra point. The Broncos extended the lead when Manning found Wes Welker for a 5 yard touchdown connection, and Prater booted the PAT. Denver kept going as Manning and Welker connected for a 2 yard touchdown, and Prater once again supplied the extra point. The Broncos padded the lead in the fourth quarter as Manning sent Demaryius Thomas a 26 yard touchdown pass, and Prater again kicked the extra point. The Ravens got some back on a Flacco touchdown pass to Marlon Brown, good for 13 yards, and Tucker was there to make the extra point. Baltimore got some more with a Tucker 30 yard field goal. Denver added insult to injury as Manning threw his seventh touchdown pass of the game, caught by Demaryius Thomas, for 78 yards, and Prater did what he does best, kick the extra point. This produced the final score of 49-27, with the Broncos starting the season at 1-0 and the Ravens' title defense beginning at 0-1.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

KHL Day 2 2013-2014

We are starting to heat up a bit in terms of the number of games. Today, we have three, beginning in...

Novokuznetsk, as Metallurg hosts Sibir Novosibirsk. Julius Hudacek of Sibir and Niko Hovinen of Metallurg are between the pipes. Novosibirsk started in the first period with a Jonas Enlund goal, coming off of Kristian Kudroc and Jori Lehtera. Novokuznetsk tied it on a power play goal by Tuukka Mantyla, powered by Rafael Akhmetov and Maxim Zyuzyakin. Metallurg took the lead in the second period with a Nikita Vyglazov goal, with helpers from Damir Zhafyarov. Novokuznetsk added on with a Yegor Martynov goal, passed from Kurtis McLean on the power play. Sibir got one back in the third period when Jarno Koskiranta put the puck away, with the help of Enlund on the power play. They failed to tie the game, losing 3-2. The three stars were Enlund, Hovinen (32 for 34 in saves), and Martynov.

To the west, where Atlant Mytishchi hosts their neighbors in the oblast, Spartak Moscow. Jeff Glass for Spartak and Stanislav Galimov for Atlant will be in the creases. Moscow got going in the second period with a Rastislav Spirko power play goal, powered by Matt Anderson. Spirko iced it at 2-0 with an empty net goal in the third period, going in unassisted. The three stars were Spirko, Glass (37 save shutout), and Anderson.

Finally, in Latvia, Dinamo Riga hosts the similarly named Dinamo Minsk. Kevin Lalande for Minsk and Mikael Tellqvist for Riga are in goal. Riga led off with a first period goal by Gints Meija, with a lone assist by Marcel Hossa. Riga added on when Kyle Wilson scored, thanks to Hossa and Krisjanis Redlihs on the power play. Minsk got on the board in the third period when Jacob Micflikier potted the puck, passed from Lukas Krajicek. They failed to get an equalizer, dropping the game 2-1. Wilson, Tellqvist (16 for 17 in saves), and Hossa get the three stars.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

KHL Day 1 2013-2014

It has been over a month since the last post. Never fear, as the long awaited return of the KHL is here. Before we dive in, I cannot promise that I will be able to provide the same level of coverage from previous seasons. I am busier now, but I will give it my best effort. If I'm not doing well enough, I won't keep putting this out there. With that, let's begin the KHL season with a single game from...

Moscow, as Dynamo hosts Traktor Chelyabinsk in a rematch of last year's Gagarin Cup final. Michael Garnett is in goal for Traktor while Alexander Yeryomenko does the same for Dynamo. Chelyabinsk began in the first period with a Yegor Dugin goal, with assists provided by Lauris Darzins and Konstantin Panov. Moscow tied the game with a second period goal by Maxim Pestushko, with a lone assist from Leo Komarov. Dynamo took the lead when Yury Babenko scored, via Sergei Soin. Moscow added on in the third period as Komarov notched a goal, thanks to Pestushko and Konstantin Gorovikov. Dynamo padded the lead when Soin scored, and Konstantin Glazachev had the only assist. Moscow wrapped it up at 5-1 with an Alexei Tsvetkov goal with only eleven seconds remaining, and his goal was unassisted. The three stars of the game were Komarov, Soin, and Pestushko.

Come back for more tomorrow, and as always, follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

From Cradle to Cup: The Story of the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks, Part 28

From Cradle to Cup will be a series running throughout July 2013 looking back at players on the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks roster for their Stanley Cup-winning campaign. Part 28 looks at the architect of the Blackhawks, General Manager Stan Bowman.

Stan Bowman was born on June 28th, 1973, in Montreal, Quebec. His father is Scotty Bowman, a Hockey Hall of Famer and current employee of his son. Scotty named his son Stan in honor of hockey's greatest prize, the Stanley Cup. Stan joined the Blackhawks organization in 2001 as a special assistant to the general manager, a position he held for four years. The following two years saw Bowman take the role of Director of Hockey Operations before a promotion to Assistant General Manager, hockey operations. Finally, he took the top job on July 14th, 2009, replacing Dale Tallon, who later went to the Florida Panthers. Bowman was able to bring in Marian Hossa as his first big acquisition. The shining moment in Bowman's career came in December 2009, when he signed captain and star center Jonathan Toews, winger and superstar forward Patrick Kane, and all-star defenseman Duncan Keith to long-term contracts, enabling him to keep the Blackhawks core together for many years. Later in the season, Bowman was at the helm of the 2010 Stanley Cup champions, although it was a team largely constructed by his predecessor, Tallon. The offseason proved rough for the Blackhawks, as approximately half of their roster was traded or went unsigned by the Blackhawks to shed salary. Bowman is also responsible for helping to draft Marcus Kruger, Brandon Saad, and Andrew Shaw, who all played roles in helping the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup again in 2013. Additionally, Bowman was able to bring in Michael Frolik from the Florida Panthers and shed the Brian Campbell contract to the Panthers in separate deals. Bowman again was put in a tough position regarding player personnel in 2013 after another championship, and this saw Dave Bolland go to Toronto as well as Frolik continue his journey to the Winnipeg Jets, while re-signing Bryan Bickell to a reasonable contract for his studly playoff efforts. As is often the case in investments, it will take time to see which of these recent moves ends up well and which may look sour in the rear-view mirror, but Blackhawks fans can have the comfort of knowing their general manager is competent at putting together a competitive team and can build a champion.

With that, From Cradle to Cup is over. I will be taking a month off to adjust to changes in life, but I will return in time for the Kontinental Hockey League season, beginning on September 4th. Thank you all very much for your support and I will see you in September.