KHL September 10th, 2014

Nine games on today as the KHL allows for some travel before kicking the schedule back into its highest gear. First up...

Avangard Omsk hosts Amur Khabarovsk. Sergei Borisov and Konstantin Barulin are in the blue paint. Omsk opened in the first period with a power play goal by Anton Kuryanov, powered by Alexander Popov and Tom Wandell. Avangard added on with an Alexander Perezhogin goal, assisted by Sergei Kalinin. Omsk extended the lead on a Vladimir Sobotka power play goal, guided in by Denis Parshin. Avangard padded the lead in the second period as Roman Berdnikov scored, thanks to Kirill Semyonov. Khabarovsk got on the board when Sergei Teryayev scored, via Mikhail Fisenko. The scoring was silenced in the third period, so Avangard won 4-1. Barulin (15 for 16 in saves), Perezhogin, and Sobotka were named the three stars.

Over to Magnitogorsk, where Metallurg welcomes Medvescak Zagreb. Mark Dekanich and Vasily Koshechkin guard the cages. Magnitogorsk struck first in the first period with a Sergei Mozyakin goal, assisted by Alexei Bereglazov and Jan Kovar. Metallurg added on with a Danis Zaripov power play goal, powered by Chris Lee and Mozyakin. Magnitogorsk extended the lead as Maxim Yakutsenya scored in the second period, thanks to Tim Brent. Metallurg padded the lead in the third period with a Viktor Antipin goal, via Zaripov and Kovar. Magnitogorsk kept going with a Vladislav Kamenev power play goal, fueled by Rafael Batyrshin and Yaroslav Kosov. Metallurg iced it at 6-0 with a shorthanded Yakutsenya goal, set up by Brent and Evgeny Biryukov. The three stars belonged to Yakutsenya, Mozyakin, and Zaripov, while Koshechkin (31 save shutout), Kovar, and Brent got the honorable mentions.

Up in Ufa, Salavat Yulaev brings in Admiral Vladivostok. Ivan Nalimov and Vitaly Koval draw the starts in goal. Vladivostok was first to score in the first period on an Alexei Ugarov goal, fueled by Denis Osipov. Admiral added on with a power play goal by Logan Pyett, powered by Osipov and Niclas Bergfors. Ufa got on the board with an Ivan Vishnevsky power play goal, coming off of Alexei Kaigorodov and Evgeny Skachkov. Vladivostok shot back with an Andrei Sigaryov goal, courtesy of Osipov, who got a sock trick, and Bergfors. Salavat Yulaev got one back in the second period on a Kirill Koltsov power play goal, made possible by Vishnevsky and Kaigorodov. Ufa tied it with an Alexander Stepanov goal, via Antti Pihlstrom and Alexei Glukhov. Admiral took the lead back on another Ugarov goal, with assists by Enver Lisin and Jan Kolar. Salavat Yulaev tied it again on a power play goal by Koltsov, his second of the game helped along by Vishnevsky and Kaigorodov, the latter getting a sock trick. Ufa took the lead in the third period on a Teemu Hartikainen goal, passed from Dmitry Makarov and Alexander Kutuzov on the power play. Salavat Yulaev went on to win 6-4 on a Pihlstrom goal, pushed through by Kaigorodov and Skachkov. The three stars were Koltsov, Kaigorodov, and Vishnevsky, while Ugarov, Osipov, Bergfors, Skachkov, and Pihlstrom were given honorable mentions.

South to Kazakhstan, as Barys Astana hosts Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Jan Laco are between the pipes. Podolsk led off with a first period Yury Koksharov goal, fueled by Ivan Vereshchagin. Vityaz added on in the second period on a Mario Kempe goal, going in unassisted. This was all they needed to win 2-0, with the three stars being Sateri (37 save shutout), Koksharov, and Kempe.

Back in Russia, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg welcomes Atlant Mytishchi. Atte Engren is mismatched with Jakub Kovar in goal. Yekaterinburg began in the first period with an Anton Lazarev power play goal, powered by Tobias Viklund. Mytishchi tied it with a Yaroslav Dyblenko goal, via Alexander Kadeikin. Atlant took the lead in the second period on a Roman Rukavishnikov goal, assisted by Artyom Chernov and Sergei Shmelyov. Avtomobilist tied it in the third period with a Dmitry Megalinsky goal, coming off of Nikita Komarov on the power play. Yekaterinburg pulled ahead with an Evgeny Lapenkov goal, passed from Eduard Lewandowski and Andrei Antonov. Mytishchi retied it with a power play goal by Matthew Gilroy, set up by Andreas Engqvist. It took until the shootout for the game to be decided, which favored Atlant 4-3 after a lone tally by Igor Radulov. The three stars were given to Gilroy, Radulov, and Lapenkov.

West to Cherepovets, where Severstal brings in Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Stepan Goryachevskikh and Jakub Stepanek are the masked men. Khanty-Mansiysk started in the first period on a Ben Maxwell goal, with a lone assist by Toni Rajala. Cherepovets tied it in the second period with a Pavel Chernov goal, made possible by Evgeny Mons on the power play. Severstal took the lead as Chernov scored again, thanks to Mons and Dmitry Kagarlitsky. Cherepovets added on with a power play goal by Pavel Lukin, powered by Kagarlitsky and Andrei Shefer. Yugra got one back with a Nikita Filatov goal, guided in by Denis Gorbunov and Pavel Medvedev. Severstal shot back with a Marek Kvapil goal, coming off of Pavel Buchnevich and Alexander Urbom. This held up for a 4-2 win, with the three stars being Chernov, Mons, and Kagarlitsky.

Into Moscow, where CSKA hosts Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vladislav Fokin and Stanislav Galimov are in the creases. Moscow opened in the first period with a Jan Mursak goal, assisted by Nikolai Prokhorkin. CSKA added on in the third period with a power play goal by Chad Billins, powered by Mursak. The final stood from here at 2-0, with the three stars being Galimov (22 save shutout), Mursak, and Billins.

Backtracking to Kazan, where Ak Bars welcomes Slovan Bratislava. Johan Backlund and Anders Nilsson receive the starting nods. Bratislava started in the first period with a Ladislav Nagy power play goal, with a lone assist by Vaclav Nedorost. Slovan added on with a Matt Murley goal, via Jonathan Sigalet. Kazan got on the board with a Ziyat Paigan goal, fueled by Sergei Kostitsyn and Igor Mirnov. Ak Bars tied it on an Evgeny Medvedev goal, made possible by Kirill Petrov and Justin Azevedo. Bratislava got the lead back with a third period Michal Vondrka goal, assisted by Ziga Jeglic. Kazan retied it on a Janne Pesonen goal, passed from Paigin. Ak Bars took the lead with an unassisted Mikhail Varnakov goal. The final was 4-3, with the three stars handed to Paigin, Varnakov, and Pesonen.

Finally, Dinamo Riga brings in the Sochi Leopards. Tomas Popperle and Jakub Sedlacek protect the nets. Sochi got going in the second period on a Mikhail Anisin goal, assisted by Alexander Shcherbina. Riga tied it in the third period on a Martins Cipulis goal, fueled by Miks Indrasis. The Leopards took the lead back with an Andre Petersson goal, coming off of Cory Emmerton. They held on for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Popperle (30 for 31 in saves), Petersson, and Anisin.

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KHL September 9th, 2014

Just one game for today, with Metallurg Novokuznetsk hosting Sibir Novosibirsk. Mikko Koskinen and Ilya Sorokin protect the nets. Novosibirsk began in the first period with a Dmitry Kugryshev power play goal, powered by Igor Ozhiganov. Novokuznetsk tied it on an Ansel Galimov goal, via Ryan Stoa. Metallurg gained the lead with an Alexander Romanov goal, guided in by Nikolai Skladnichenko. Sibir tied it in the third period on a Maxim Ignatovich goal, going in unassisted. Novosibirsk won it in overtime as Kugryshev scored his second of the game to make it 3-2, with the help of Alexei Kopeikin. The three stars were Kugryshev, Sorokin (51 for 54 in saves), and Ignatovich.

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KHL September 8th, 2014

Today had thirteen games on after the day of remembrance for the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl air tragedy. First up...

Avangard Omsk hosts Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Konstantin Barulin are in goal. Podolsk began with a first period power play goal by Robert Kousal, pushed through by Yakov Seleznyov and Maxim Afinogenov. Omsk tied it on a power play goal by Sergei Kalinin, with a lone assist by Alexander Popov. Vityaz retook the lead with a Roman Horak goal, fueled by Dmitry Tsyganov and Mathias Porseland on the power play. Podolsk added on with another Horak power play goal, helped along by Denis Grebeshkov. Denis Kostin relieved Barulin at this time. Avangard took one back as Kalinin scored his second power play goal of the game, powered by Miroslav Blatak and Erik Gustafsson. Vityaz answered with a Nikita Shatsky goal, guided in by Kirill Tulupov. Omsk pulled closer as Gustafsson scored an unassisted power play goal in the second period. Podolsk shot back with a Tsyganov power play goal, going in unassisted. Avangard chipped back on a Vladimir Sobotka goal, coming off of Sergei Shirokov. Omsk tied it in the third period with a Denis Parshin goal with a lone helper by Shirokov. Avangard took the lead with a Shirokov goal, set up by Parshin. Omsk extended the lead on a power play goal by Andrei Ivanov, courtesy of Tom Wandell and Vladimir Pervushin. Avangard finished it with another Shirokov goal, with an assist provided by Sobotka on the power play. The final was 8-5, and the three stars were Shirokov, Kalinin, and Horak, while Gustafsson, Tsyganov, Parshin, and Sobotka got the honorable mentions in the slugfest.

Up in Ufa, Salavat Yulaev welcomes Amur Khabarovsk. Sergei Borisov and Vladimir Sokhatsky are in the blue paint. Khabarovsk was first to score in the first period on a Rastislav Spirko power play goal, powered by Dmitry Tarasov and Sergei Teryayev. Amur added on with a Jesse Niinimaki goal, made possible by Michel Miklik and Marcel Hascak. Khabarovsk extended the lead in the second period on a Tommi Taimi goal, with a lone assist by Kirill Safronov. Ufa got on the board in the third period with a Dmitry Makarov goal, assisted by Teemu Hartikainen. Salavat Yulaev pulled closer with a Kirill Koltsov goal, via Antti Pihlstrom and Evgeny Skachkov on the power play. Ufa tied it with an Alexander Kutuzov power play goal, helped along by Makarov and Hartikainen. Amur took the lead back with a Tarasov goal, fueled by Spirko and Safronov. Khabarovsk won as Tarasov scored his second of the game, an unassisted empty net goal for a 5-3 final score. The three stars were Tarasov, Makarov, and Spirko, while Safronov and Hartikainen are the honorable mentions.

Staying in the area, Metallurg Magnitogorsk brings in Atlant Mytishchi. Atte Engren and Vasily Koshechkin draw the starts. Magnitogorsk opened in the first period with a Danis Zaripov power play goal, with a lone assist by Chris Lee. Mytishchi tied it in the second period on an Artyom Voronin goal, assisted by Andrei Taratukhin and Nikita Soshnikov. Metallurg retook the lead in the third period with a power play goal by Yaroslav Kosov, powered by Rafael Batyrshin and Vladislav Kamenev. Magnitogorsk added on when Jan Kovar scored, thanks to Viktor Antipin and Zaripov. Metallurg iced it at 4-1 with a Sergei Mozyakin empty net goal, set up by Lee and Zaripov. The three stars were Zaripov, Koshechkin (21 for 22 in saves), and Lee.

Moving along to Yekaterinburg, as Avtomobilist hosts Slovan Bratislava. Johan Backlund and Jakub Kovar are the masked men. Bratislava got going in the second period with a Tomas Netik power play goal, powered by Libor Hudacek. Yekaterinburg tied it with a power play goal by Anton Lazarev, assisted by Tobias Viklund and Jakub Petruzalek. Slovan took the lead back on a third period goal by Milan Bartovic, guided in by Matt Murley and Rok Ticar. Bratislava added on with a Tomas Surovy empty net goal, set up by Netik and Hudacek. The three stars of the 3-1 game were Netik, Backlund (20 for 21 in saves), and Hudacek.

Down in Kazakhstan, Barys Astana welcomes Admiral Vladivostok. Ari Ahonen and Jan Laco are between the pipes. Astana started in the first period with a Konstantin Rudenko goal, made possible by Nikolai Antropov. Barys added on as Rudenko scored again, thanks to Roman Starchenko and Antropov. Astana extended the lead with a Dustin Boyd goal, via Brandon Bochenski and Nigel Dawes. Ivan Nalimov took over for Ahonen at this time. Barys padded the lead as Rudenko finished his hat trick in the third period with a shorthanded and unassisted goal. The final stood from here at 4-0, with Laco (30 save shutout), Rudenko, and Antropov being the three stars.

Northwest to Cherepovets, where Severstal brings in Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Lazushin and Jakub Stepanek receive the starting nods. Moscow struck first in the first period on a Mat Robinson goal, fueled by Alexei Tereshchenko and Konstantin Glazachev on the power play. Cherepovets tied it with a Marek Kvapil goal, via David Ullstrom. Dynamo retook the lead with a Kaspars Daugavins goal in the second period, assisted by Robinson and Maxim Pestushko. Severstal tied it again with a Dmitry Kagarlitsky goal, passed from Andrei Shefer and Alexander Shinin on the power play. Moscow retook the lead on a third period power play goal by Tereshchenko, powered by Denis Kokarev and Nikolai Zherdev. This stood for a 3-2 win, with the three stars going to Tereshchenko, Robinson, and Lazushin (24 for 26 in saves).

Speaking of Moscow, CSKA hosts Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Mikhail Biryukov and Stanislav Galimov are the veteran goalies. Moscow led off in the first period with a Jan Mursak goal, with a lone assist by Grigory Panin. CSKA added on as Mursak scored his second of the game, a power play goal powered by Nikolai Prokhorkin and Bogdan Kiselevich. Moscow extended the lead in the second period on an Igor Grigorenko goal, with the help of Stephane Da Costa. Khanty-Mansiysk got on the board in the third period with a Ben Maxwell goal, via Toni Rajala and Kirill Putilov. CSKA shot back as Mursak finished his hat trick with a power play goal assisted by Chad Billins and Prokhorkin. Yugra pulled back on a Lukas Kaspar power play goal, guided in by Philip Larsen and Rajala. Khanty-Mansiysk chipped closer as Nikita Gusev scored a power play goal, thanks to Kaspar and Maxwell. They failed to tie it, losing 4-3. The three stars were Mursak, Kaspar, and Prokhorkin, while Maxwell and Rajala get the honorable mentions.

Over in Togliatti, Lada welcomes Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Alexander Sudnitsin and Jeff Glass tend the twines. Nizhnekamsk began in the first period with a Yegor Milovzorov goal, helped along by Dan Sexton. Neftekhimik added on with a Pavel Zdunov goal, passed from Maxim Berezin. Togliatti got on the board with a power play goal by Yury Petrov, with a lone assist by Alexander Chernikov. Lada tied it with a Semyon Valuisky goal in the second period, going in unassisted. Togliatti took the lead on a Chernikov goal, guided in by Stanislav Romanov. Nizhnekamsk tied it as Josh Hennessy scored, thanks to Pyotr Khokhryakov and Alexander Yevseyenkov. Lada won 4-3 in overtime with a Karol Sloboda goal, assisted by Chernikov. The three stars were Chernikov, Sloboda, and Valuisky.

Down to Kazan, as Ak Bars brings in Medvescak Zagreb. Barry Brust and Emil Garipov occupy the creases. Kazan struck first in the first period with an Alexander Burmistrov goal, fueled by Oscar Moller and Justin Azevedo. Ak Bars added on in the second period with a Dmitry Obukhov goal, passed from Artyom Lukoyanov and Yakov Rylov. Kazan extended the lead on an Ilya Nikulin goal, assisted by Igor Mirnov and Janne Pesonen. Ak Bars padded the lead on a third period goal by Alexander Svitov, thanks to Nikulin and Igor Mirnov. Zagreb got on the board with an Andrew Hutchinson power play goal, powered by Martin St. Pierre. Medvescak pulled closer with a shorthanded goal by Mike Glumac, set up by Sasa Martinovic. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Nikulin, Garipov (18 for 20 in saves), and Mirnov.

Crossing into Finland, Jokerit Helsinki hosts the Sochi Leopards. Tomas Popperle and Riku Helenius guard the cages. Helsinki was first to score in the first period with a Linus Omark goal, via Steve Moses. Jokerit added on in the second period with a power play goal by Niko Kapanen, powered by Ryan Gunderson and Juhamatti Aaltonen. Helsinki extended the lead with a third period goal by Niklas Hagman, fueled by Omark and Kapanen. The final stood at 3-0, with the three stars awarded to Helenius (29 save shutout), Omark, and Kapanen.

Back in Russia, SKA St. Petersburg welcomes Dinamo Minsk. Dmitry Milchakov and Alexander Salak protect the nets. St. Petersburg led off in the first period with a Tony Martensson goal, assisted by Roman Cervenka and Patrick Thoresen. Minsk tied it with a power play goal by Artur Gavrus, powered by Alexei Kalyuzhny. SKA took the lead back on a second period goal by Dmitry Kalinin, fueled by Vadim Shipachyov and Evgeny Dadonov. Dinamo tied it again as Dmitry Meleshko scored, thanks to Alexander Kulakov. St. Petersburg pulled ahead again with an Ilya Kovalchuk goal, courtesy of Dinar Khafizullin and Jimmie Ericsson. SKA added on in the third period on a shorthanded empty net goal by Evgeny Ketov, set up by Shipachyov. St. Petersburg iced it at 5-2 with another empty net goal, scored by Kovalchuk with an assist from Viktor Tikhonov. The three stars were handed to Kovalchuk, Shipachyov, and Salak (34 for 36 in saves).

East to Nizhny Novgorod, as Torpedo brings in Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vladislav Fokin and Georgy Gelashvili are the average goalies. Chelyabinsk started in the first period on a power play goal by Nikita Khlystov, powered by Anton Glinkin. Nizhny Novgorod tied it with a Wojtek Wolski power play goal, with a lone helper by Pavel Valentenko. Traktor took the lead back with an Andrei Kostitsyn goal, guided in by Glinkin and Evgeny Katichev. Chelyabinsk added on with a Kostitsyn goal, via Deron Quint in the second period on the power play. Traktor extended the lead as Maxim Kondratyev scored, thanks to Konstantin Panov. Torpedo got one back on a Petteri Nokelainen goal, made possible by Anton Babchuk and Viktor Drugov. Nizhny Novgorod pulled closer with a Mikhail Grigoryev goal, coming off of Vyacheslav Kulyomin. Torpedo tied it in the third period on a Jarkko Immonen goal, pushed through by Wolski and Sakari Salminen. In the shootout, Immonen was first to score, but Kyle Wilson pulled Traktor level before Stanislav Chistov finished it off for Traktor in a 5-4 win. The three stars were Kostitsyn, Wolski, and Glinkin.

Finally, Dinamo Riga hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl to finish the day. Curtis Sanford and Edgars Masalskis are in the blue paint. Riga opened in the second period with a Juris Upitis goal, made possible by Oskars Cibulskis. Dinamo added on with a power play goal from Roberts Bukarts, powered by Georgijs Pujacs and Pyotr Schastlivy. Yaroslavl got on the board with a power play goal by Geoff Platt, assisted by Jiri Novotny and Jonas Holos. Lokomotiv tied it with a Martin Thornberg power play goal, guided in by Novotny and Platt. Yaroslavl took the lead as Platt scored again, thanks to Kirill Kapustin and Ilya Gorokhov. Lokomotiv extended the lead with a third period goal by Thornberg, made possible by Alexei Kruchinin. Yaroslavl padded the lead on a Daniil Apalkov goal, courtesy of Gorokhov and Yegor Averin. This held up for a 5-2 win, with the three stars given to Platt, Thornberg, and Novotny, while Gorokhov gets an honorable mention.

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MLS Weekend September 5-7, 2014

Friday has just one game of the nine this weekend, and it's in...

Los Angeles, as the Galaxy host the Colorado Rapids. Brian Rowe and Joe Nasco get the starts in goal. Nasco didn't last long, as he received a straight red card for a professional foul in the very first minute of the game. In corresponding moves, Dillon Serna was subbed out for goalie Clint Irwin, and Colorado had to play almost the entire game at ten men. Also resulting from the play was a penalty kick by Landon Donovan, putting Los Angeles on the board first. The Galaxy added on in the thirtieth minute with a Baggio Husidic goal, passed from Alan Gordon and Marcelo Sarvas. After the goal, Husidic got a garbage yellow card for excessive celebration. The celebration here was in honor of teammate A.J. DeLaGarza's recently deceased newborn child, Luca. There should have been a yellow card on the referee for insensitivity in this case. In the second minute of first half stoppage time, Gyasi Zardes extended the Los Angeles lead with a goal, set up by Donovan and Husidic. The Galaxy padded the lead as Donovan deposited another penalty kick goal in the forty-seventh minute. Los Angeles' Stefan Ishizaki took a yellow card for a fiftieth minute foul. The Rapids also had a yellow card, given to Marc Burch in the fifty-seventh minute for a foul, followed by a yellow card for Thomas Piermayr in the seventieth minute, also for a foul. The Galaxy kept going in the seventy-fifth minute with another Zardes goal, fueled by Ishizaki. Colorado was booked again with an eighty-fourth minute foul by Marlon Hairston that brought out another yellow card. Los Angeles iced it at 6-0 with Husidic's second of the game, via Donovan and Sarvas. The man of the match was Husidic for his brace and heartfelt tribute to Luca DeLaGarza.

On Saturday, the games begin in the afternoon in Toronto, as Toronto FC welcomes the Philadelphia Union. Zac MacMath and Joe Bendik are in the six-yard boxes. Philadelphia began in the eighth minute on a Conor Casey goal, with an assist by Sheanon Williams. Toronto took a yellow card in the twenty-eighth minute for a foul by Doneil Henry. The Union added on in the forty-fourth minute with an Andrew Wenger goal, helped along by Williams. This was it for the game, with Philadelphia winning 2-0. Williams was the man of the match for setting up both goals.

Down in the States, the New York Red Bulls bring in Sporting Kansas City. Andy Gruenebaum and Luis Robles are the goalies. New York struck first in the eleventh minute on a Bradley Wright-Phillips penalty kick conversion. The Red Bulls took a yellow card for unsporting behavior in the fourth minute of stoppage time by Ibrahim Sekagya. New York added on in the fifty-second minute with a Thierry Henry goal, guided in by Lloyd Sam. Kansas City got on the board with a Dominic Dwyer goal in the fifty-fourth minute, passed from Seth Sinovic and Graham Zusi. Sporting saw Igor Juliao get booked for a foul in the fifty-seventh minute, giving him a yellow card. Kansas City took another yellow card in the sixty-second minute for a Zusi foul. Sporting was visited by the referee again in the sixty-eighth minute for a foul by Lawrence Olum. This was it for the game, with the final being 2-1. Henry's goal made him the man of the match.

South to Houston, as the Dynamo host the Montreal Impact. Evan Bush and Tyler Deric protect the nets. Houston led off in the thirtieth minute with an unassisted goal by Giles Barnes. Montreal tied it in the fortieth minute with a Dilly Duka goal, set up by Felipe Martins. The Impact took the lead in the fifty-fifth minute on an Ignacio Piatti goal, courtesy of Marco Di Vaio. The Dynamo retied it with a sixty-second minute Barnes goal, coming off of Omar Cummings. Houston took the lead in the sixty-fifth minute on a goal by Ricardo Clark, made possible by David Horst and Brad Davis. Montreal's Martins took a yellow card in the seventy-first minute for a foul. The final was 3-2, and Barnes was the man of the match for his brace.

Up in Canada again, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC welcome DC United. Bill Hamid and David Ousted are the solid goalies. DC's Bobby Boswell was given a yellow card for a foul in the eighteenth minute. This was the only action in the 0-0 draw, with the man of the match being Hamid for his three save clean sheet to earn a point for United.

Closing out Saturday, Real Salt Lake brings in FC Dallas. Raul Fernandez and Nick Rimando are the keepers. Salt Lake struck first in the thirty-first minute with a Robbie Findley goal, going in unassisted. Dallas was given a yellow card in the fifty-fourth minute for a Zach Loyd foul. Dallas tied the game on a sixty-second minute goal by Michel. Real took the lead in the seventy-seventh minute on an Alvaro Saborio goal, via Javier Morales. Salt Lake's Tony Beltran was given a yellow card for an eighty-fifth minute foul. The final was 2-1, and the man of the match was Saborio for his decisive goal.

For starters on Sunday, we have the Columbus Crew hosting Chivas USA. Dan Kennedy and Steve Clark will protect the nets. Chivas was first to be visited by the referee in the fortieth minute for an Andrew Jean-Baptiste foul, giving him a yellow card. Columbus struck first with a fifty-second minute Justin Meram goal, via Waylon Francis. The Crew added on as Meram scored an unassisted goal in the fifty-ninth minute. Columbus took a yellow card for a sixty-ninth minute foul by Eric Gehrig. The Crew extended their lead in the eightieth minute on a Bernardo Anor goal, made possible by Hector Jimenez. This made it 3-0, the final, and Meram was the man of the match.

Out west, the Portland Timbers welcome the San Jose Earthquakes. Jon Busch and Donovan Ricketts are the keepers. San Jose, despite an early flurry in front of their net, struck first in the twenty-first minute with a Chris Wondolowski goal, going in unassisted. The Earthquakes added on with a Cordell Cato goal in the forty-eighth minute, passed from Wondolowski. Portland got on the board with a fifty-fourth minute goal by Alvas Powell, set up by Diego Valeri. The Timbers took a yellow card for dissent by Will Johnson in the fifty-seventh minute. Portland pulled even in the seventy-fourth minute as Liam Ridgewell scored, with a helper from Valeri. San Jose took a yellow card for a seventy-sixth minute Shaun Francis foul, followed by another yellow card going to Shea Salinas in the eighty-first minute for time wasting. The Earthquakes pulled ahead in the eighty-fifth minute as Wondolowski scored his second of the game, with the help of ol' lazy bones, Salinas. The Timbers equalized in the eighty-sixth minute on a Kalif Alhassan goal, assisted by Powell and Valeri. Portland's Powell was given a yellow card in the eighty-eighth minute for a foul. San Jose had another pair of yellow cards in stoppage time, going to Victor Bernardez for a foul in the first added minute, and to Wondolowski for a foul a minute later. After the late flurry of activity, the final stood at 3-3, and the man of the match was Busch with his ten out of thirteen save performance. Without him, the Earthquakes would have lost handily.

Finally, the New England Revolution bring in the Chicago Fire. Sean Johnson and Bobby Shuttleworth are the gloved men. Chicago struck first in the twenty-eighth minute with a Sanna Nyassi goal, assisted by Quincy Amarikwa. The Fire took two yellow cards for fouls, with Lovel Palmer getting one in the thirty-sixth minute and Razvan Cocis getting the other in the thirty-ninth minute. New England tied it in the forty-first minute on a Diego Fagundez goal, courtesy of Lee Nguyen and Jose Goncalves. Chicago got a yellow card in the fifty-eighth minute for a Bakary Soumare foul. The Revolution took the lead in the sixtieth minute on a goal by Charles Davies, helped along by Jermaine Jones. In the seventy-fourth minute, New England was given a yellow card for an argument by Barnes. The Revolution were booked twice in the seventy-eighth minute, with yellow cards going to Scott Caldwell for a foul and Jones for dissent. This was it for the game, with the final being 2-1, and the man of the match was Davies for the winning goal.

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KHL September 6th, 2014

Twelve games on today, making it quite a busy day for the KHL. We begin with...

Avangard Omsk hosting Admiral Vladivostok. Ari Ahonen and Konstantin Barulin are in goal. Omsk was first to score in the first period with a power play goal by Vladimir Pervushin, assisted by Denis Kulyash. Vladivostok tied it in the second period with a Richard Gynge goal, fueled by Konstantin Makarov and Denis Kuzmin. Avangard pulled ahead again with a Denis Parshin power play goal, powered by Kirill Lyamin and Alexander Popov. Omsk added on with a Nikita Pivtsakin goal, passed from Kulyash. Admiral got one back in the third period on an Enver Lisin goal, guided in by Jan Kolar. Avangard iced it at 4-2 with a Sergei Shirokov goal, coming off of Lyamin. The three stars were Kulyash, Lyamin, and Pivtsakin.

To the east, Sibir Novosibirsk welcomes Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Andrei Kareyev and Mikko Koskinen are the masked men. Novosibirsk opened in the first period on an Andreas Thuresson goal, via Dmitry Monya. Sibir added on with a Patrik Hersley power play goal, powered by Thuresson. Novosibirsk extended the lead as Monya scored an unassisted power play goal. Sibir padded the lead on a second period Thuresson power play goal, guided in by Jonas Enlund and Monya. Novokuznetsk got on the board with an Ansel Galimov power play goal, passed from Vladimir Malinovsky and Alexander Komaristy. Novosibirsk replied on an Alexei Kopeikin goal,with a lone helper by Dmitry Kugryshev. Sibir finished it at 6-1 in the third period as Kopeikin scored another goal, coming on the power play with the help of Kugryshev and Jarno Koskiranta. The three stars were Thuresson, Monya, and Kopeikin, while Kugryshev gets an honorable mention.

Backtracking to Magnitogorsk, as Metallurg brings in Slovan Bratislava. Johan Backlund and Vasily Koshechking tend the twines. Magnitogorsk led off in the first period with a Jan Kovar power play goal, powered by Chris Lee and Sergei Mozyakin. Bratislava tied it with a Vaclav Nedorost power play goal, assisted by Matt Murley and Ladislav Nagy. Slovan took the lead with a Milan Bartovic goal, fueled by Murley and Rok Ticar. Metallurg tied it in the second period on an Evgeny Grigorenko goal, guided in by Yaroslav Kosov. Bratislava took the lead back in the third period on a Nagy power play goal, made possible by Ivan Baranka and Ziga Jeglic. This was all they needed to win 3-2, with the three stars being Nagy, Murley, and Bartovic.

Up in Ufa, Salavat Yulaev hosts Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Vladimir Sokhatsky are the new KHL goalies. Podolsk began in the first period with a Mario Kempe power play goal, powered by Dmitry Tsyganov and Denis Grebeshkov. Ufa tied it on a power play goal by Ivan Vishnevsky, coming off of Alexei Kaigorodov. Salavat Yulaev took the lead on an unassisted power play goal by Kirill Koltsov. Ufa added on in the third period with a Kaigorodov goal, made possible by Antti Pihlstrom. Salavat Yulaev extended the lead with a goal by Dmitry Makarov, going in unassisted. Ufa padded the lead with an Ilkka Heikkinen goal, with assists provided by Anton Slepyshev and Alexei Vasilevsky. Salavat Yulaev finished it at 6-1 with another Makarov goal, coming on the power play with the help of Arturs Kulda and Teemu Hartikainen. The three stars were Kaigorodov, Makarov, and Koltsov.

Down into Kazakhstan, where Barys Astana welcomes Amur Khabarovsk. Sergei Borisov and Jan Laco are in the blue paint. Astana started in the first period with a Roman Starchenko goal, fueled by Nikolai Antropov on the power play. Khabarovsk tied it in the second period on a power play goal by Dmitry Tarasov, powered by Tommi Taimi and Rastislav Spirko. Barys retook the lead on an unassisted goal by Mike Lundin. Amur evened the score again as Ruslan Bashkirov scored an unassisted goal. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Khabarovsk got a goal from Marcel Hascak, but Astana answered with tallies by Starchenko and Nigel Dawes for a 3-2 win. The three stars were Starchenko, Lundin, and Dawes.

Back in Russia, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg brings in Medvescak Zagreb. Barry Brust and Jakub Kovar guard the cages. Zagreb struck first in the first period with an unassisted power play goal by Anthony Stewart. Medvescak added on in the second period as Pascal Pelletier scored, thanks to Mark Flood. Yekaterinburg got on the board with a Jakub Petruzalek goal, going in unassisted. Avtomobilist tied it on an Anton Lazarev goal, fueled by Petruzalek. Late in the third period, Yekaterinburg took the lead on an Igor Yemeleyev goal, passed from Eduard Lewandowski and Evgeny Lapenkov. This held up for a 3-2 win, and Yemeleyev, Petruzalek, and Lazarev were the three stars.

To the west, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod hosts Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Mikhail Biryukov and Ivan Kasutin are given the starting nods. Nizhny Novgorod was first to score in the first period with a Juuso Hietanen goal, with a lone assist by Jarkko Immonen. Khanty-Mansiysk tied it in the second period on an Andrei Sergeyev goal, coming off of Nikita Gusev on the power play. Yugra took the lead on a Sergei Lesnukhin goal in the third period, with a lone helper by Ben Maxwell. Khanty-Mansiysk iced it at 3-1 with a Maxwell empty net goal, set up by Lukas Kaspar. The three stars went to Maxwell, Lesnukhin, and Biryukov (33 for 34 in saves).

Further west to St. Petersburg, as SKA welcomes the Sochi Leopards. Tomas Popperle and Alexander Salak man the creases. Sochi opened with a first period power play goal by Andrei Pervyshin, powered by Mark Olver and Pavel Koledov. St. Petersburg tied it in the second period on an Anton Belov goal, fueled by Patrick Thoresen and Tony Martensson. SKA took the lead with an Artemy Panarin power play goal, assisted by Evgeny Dadonov and Vadim Shipachyov. The Leopards retied it in the third period on an Ilya Krikunov goal, coming off of Alexei Krutov and Igor Ignatushkin. St. Petersburg pulled ahead again on another Belov goal, guided in by Shipachyov and Panarin. This held up for a 3-2 win. The three stars were Belov, Panarin, and Shipachyov.

Back to Cherepovets, where Severstal brings in Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vladislav Fokin and Jakub Stepanek are between the pipes. Cherepovets started in the first period on a Pavel Buchnevich goal, guided in by Gennady Stolyarov and Marek Kvapil. Chelyabinsk tied it on a Nikita Khlystov goal, passed from Anton Glinkin and Andrei Popov. Severstal took the lead back with a Kvapil goal, fueled by Buchnevich. Traktor tied it again as Popov scored, thanks to Semyon Kokuyov. Chelyabinsk took the lead in the third period on a Denis Abdullin goal, made possible by Popov and Andrei Kondratyev. The three stars were Popov, Kvapil, and Buchnevich.

Down in Kazan, Ak Bars hosts Atlant Mytishchi. Atte Engren and Anders Nilsson protect the nets. Mytishchi struck first in the first period on an Andreas Engqvist power play goal, powered by Matthew Gilroy. Atlant added on in the second period as Gilroy scored a power play goal, thanks to Nikita Soshnikov and Roman Rukavishnikov. Mytishchi extended the lead in the third period on a Vyacheslav Kozlov power play goal, with assists by Ondrej Nemec and Soshnikov. Kazan got on the board as Oscar Moller scored, via Igor Mirnov and Evgeny Medvedev on the power play. Atlant replied with a Nemec empty net goal to make it a 4-1 final, going in unassisted. The three stars were Gilroy, Soshnikov, and Nemec.

North to Finland, where Jokerit Helsinki welcomes Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Curtis Sanford and Riku Helenius will try to stop the puck. Helsinki led off in the first period with a Niklas Hagman goal, fueled by Ville Lajunen and Niko Kapanen on the power play. Yaroslavl tied it with a Jiri Novotny goal, with a lone assist by Staffan Kronwall on the power play. Jokerit took the lead back in the second period on another Hagman power play goal, powered by Juhamatti Aaltonen and Ryan Gunderson. Helsinki added on with a Linus Omark goal, with a lone helper by Petr Koukal on the power play. Lokomotiv got one back in the third period as Sergei Plotnikov scored an unassisted goal. They failed to tie it, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Hagman, Omark, and Helenius (36 for 38 in saves).

Finally, in Latvia, Dinamo Riga brings in the similarly named Dinamo Minsk. Lars Haugen and Edgars Masalskis occupy the creases. Minsk began with a shorthanded and unassisted Jonathan Cheechoo goal. Riga tied it in the second period with a Krisjanis Redlihs power play goal, powered by Lauris Darzins and Miks Indrasis. Riga took the lead in the third period on a power play goal by Pyotr Schastlivy, guided in by Marcel Hossa and Charles Genoway. Riga added on with an Oskars Cibulskis goal, passed from Indrasis and Redlihs on the power play. Riga extended the lead as Roberts Bukarts scored, thanks to Gunars Skvorcovs and Schastlivy. Minsk got one back with a Paul Szczechura power play goal, assisted by Charles Linglet and Cheechoo. This was as close as it got, with the final being 4-2. The three stars went to Schastlivy, Redlihs, and Indrasis, while Cheechoo gets an honorable mention.

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KHL September 5th, 2014

Just another single-game day, as Dynamo Moscow hosts crosstown rivals CSKA Moscow. Stanislav Galimov and Alexander Yeryomenko tend the twines. Dynamo opened with a first period power play goal by Nikolai Zherdev, powered by Konstantin Glazachev. CSKA tied it with an Igor Grigorenko goal, fueled by Alexander Radulov. CSKA took the lead with a Stephane Da Costa goal, coming off of Grigorenko and Radulov. CSKA added on in the second period as Da Costa scored again, going in unassisted. CSKA extended the lead in the third period on a Nikita Zaitsev goal, passed from Grigorenko and Radulov, the latter getting a sock trick. This made it 4-1, a final, with the three stars going to Da Costa, Grigorenko, and Radulov.

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KHL September 4th, 2014

The new season begins in earnest today, as ten games are on the schedule. The first is from...

Khabarovsk, as Amur hosts Admiral Vladivostok. Ari Ahonen and Alexei Murygin play goal. Vladivostok was first to score with an unassisted power play goal by Niclas Bergfors in the first period. Admiral added on as Alexander Gorshkov scored an unassisted goal. Khabarovsk got on the board with a Rastislav Spirko goal, fueled by Dmitry Tarasov on the power play. Sergei Borisov relieved Murygin late in the first period. Amur tied the game in the second period with a Jesse Niinimaki power play goal, powered by Alexander Loginov and Michel Miklik. Khabarovsk took the lead as Miklik scored, with the help of Loginov. Vladivostok tied it again with a Logan Pyett goal, passed from Gorshkov. Amur pulled ahead in the third period on a power play goal by Vyacheslav Litovchenko, guided in by Ruslan Bashkirov and Mikhail Zheleznov. Khabarovsk extended the lead with a Bashkirov goal, made possible by Kirill Safronov and Tommi Taimi on the power play. Admiral got one back with a Jan Kolar power play goal, set up by Enver Lisin. The final stood at 5-4 in favor of Amur, and the three stars were Bashkirov, Miklik, and Loginov, while Gorshkov gets an honorable mention.

To the west, Avangard Omsk welcomes Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Ilya Sorokin and Konstantin Barulin are in the creases. Novokuznetsk dented the scoreboard in the second period on an Alexander Komaristy goal, via Artyom Garifullin. This was it for the scoring in the game. Metallurg won 1-0, and the three stars were Sorokin (37 save shutout), Komaristy, and Barulin (18 for 19 in saves).

Down in Kazakhstan, Barys Astana brings in Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Vitaly Koval and Jan Laco receive the starting nods. Astana opened in the first period with a Nigel Dawes power play goal, powered by Kevin Dallman and Brandon Bochenski. Barys added on with a Dustin Boyd goal, with a lone assist by Dawes. Astana extended the lead as Dawes scored again, thanks to Boyd and Bochenski. Vladimir Sokhatsky came on in relief of Koval at this time. Ufa got on the board in the second period as Antti Pihlstrom scored, with the help of Andrei Zubarev and Alexei Kaigorodov. Salavat Yulaev pulled closer on another Pihlstrom goal, assisted by Kirill Koltsov. Ufa tied it on a Yegor Dubrovsky goal, fueled by Ivan Lekomtsev. Salavat Yulaev took the lead when Pihlstrom completed his hat trick with a power play goal made possible by Kaigorodov. Barys retied it in the third period on a Dallman power play goal, with a lone helper by Dawes. With just a second left in regulation, Dawes completed his hat trick on an unassisted power play goal, giving Astana a 5-4 victory. The three stars were Dawes, Pihlstrom, and Dallman, while Bochenski, Boyd, and Kaigorodov receive the honorable mentions.

Up in Nizhnekamsk, Neftekhimik hosts Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vladislav Fokin and Alexander Sudnitsin are between the pipes. Nizhnekamsk struck first in the first period with a Tim Stapleton goal, assisted by Teemu Eronen and Dan Sexton. Neftekhimik added on with an Andrei Stepanov goal, courtesy of Maxim Berezin and Pyotr Khokhryakov on the power play. Nizhnekamsk extended the lead in the second period with a power play goal by Berezin, powered by Josh Hennessy and Yegor Antropov. Chelyabinsk got one back in the third period on a Stanislav Chistov goal, guided in by Deron Quint and Kyle Wilson on the power play. Neftekhimik iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Sexton, set up by Mikhail Zhukov and Yegor Milovzorov. The three stars were Berezin, Sexton, and Sudnitsin (31 for 32 in saves).

A little west to Cherepovets, as Severstal welcomes Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Ivan Kasutin and Jakub Stepanek man the nets. Nizhny Novgorod got going in the third period on a Dmitry Kazionov goal, assisted by Viktor Drugov and Vyacheslav Kulyomin. Torpedo finished it at 2-0 with a power play goal into an empty net by Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev, set up by Vladimir Galuzin and Juuso Hietanen. The three stars were Kasutin (29 save shutout), Kazionov, and Stepanek (32 for 33 in saves).

Along to a new city for me, as Lada Togliatti brings in Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Stepan Goryachevskikh and Jeff Glass guard the cages. Togliatti began in the first period with an unassisted Peter Podhradsky goal. Khanty-Mansiysk tied it with an Igor Magogin power play goal, powered by Alexei Pepelyaev. Yugra took the lead in the second period on a Toni Rajala goal, fueled by Ben Maxwell. Khanty-Mansiysk added on in the third period as Nikita Gusev scored, with the help of Andrei Sergeyev and Pavel Medvedev. Yugra extended the lead on a Sergei Lesnukhin goal, via Sergeyev and Kirill Knyazev. Lada got one back with a Martin Zatovic goal, coming off of Dmitry Vorobyov on the power play. Khanty-Mansiysk went on to win 5-2 after a shorthanded empty net goal by Ivan Yatsenko, going in unassisted. The three stars were Sergeyev, Gusev, and Podhradsky.

Into the mountains, as Ak Bars Kazan hosts Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Jakub Kovar and Anders Nilsson protect the nets. Kazan dented the scoreboard with a second period Vladimir Tkachyov goal, coming off of Kirill Petrov and Oscar Moller on the power play. Yekaterinburg tied it with a power play goal by Alexander Bumagin, powered by Filipp Metlyuk and Anton Krysanov. Ak Bars retook the lead on a power play goal by Ilya Nikulin, passed from Justin Azevedo and Moller. Kazan added on with a Janne Pesonen goal, fueled by Mikhail Varnakov and Alexander Burmistrov. Avtomobilist got one back in the third period on an Alexei Simakov goal, with helpers provided by Sami Lepisto and Anton Lazarev. They failed to tie it, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Pesonen, Moller, and Nilsson (23 for 25 in saves).

North to Finland, where Jokerit Helsinki welcomes Dinamo Minsk. Lars Haugen and Henrik Karlsson are between the pipes. Helsinki started in the first period with a Niklas Hagman goal, fueled by Niko Kapanen and Juhamatti Aaltonen on the power play. Minsk tied it with a power play goal by Jonathan Cheechoo, powered by Matt Ellison and Ryan Vesce. Jokerit took the lead back in the second period on a Ryan Gunderson goal, guided in by Riku Hahl and Semir Ben-Amor. Dinamo retied it with a Charles Linglet goal, with a lone assist by Cheechoo on the power play. Minsk retook the lead as Cheechoo scored another goal, courtesy of Linglet and Ellison on the power play. Helsinki retied it with a Petr Koukal goal, via Linus Omark and Daine Todd. Dinamo took the lead back as Cheechoo finished his hat trick with an unassisted goal. Jokerit pulled even again on a Steve Moses goal, made possible by Koukal and Todd. Minsk won it with a power play goal in overtime for a 5-4 decision, scored by Ellison with assists by Vesce and Cheechoo. The three stars were Cheechoo, Ellison, and Todd, while Vesce, Linglet, and Koukal get the honorable mentions.

Back in Russia again, as SKA St. Petersburg brings in Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Curtis Sanford and Alexander Salak draw the starts. St. Petersburg led off with a first period goal by Jimmie Ericsson, going in unassisted. SKA added on with a Yury Alexandrov power play goal, powered by Ilya Kovalchuk and Artemy Panarin. Yaroslavl got on the board as Kirill Kapustin scored an unassisted goal. Lokomotiv tied it on a Geoff Platt goal, assisted by Janis Sprukts. St. Petersburg retook the lead on a second period Evgeny Dadonov power play goal, guided in by Alexandrov and Vadim Shipachyov. Yaroslavl pulled even again on a Martin Thornberg goal, helped along by Sprukts on the power play. SKA pulled ahead again with a Kovalchuk goal, with a lone assist by Viktor Tikhonov. St. Petersburg iced it at 5-2 with an empty net goal by Kovalchuk. The three stars were Kovalchuk, Alexandrov, and Sprukts.

Finally, in Bratislava, Slovan hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Mark Dekanich and Johan Backlund are the masked men. Bratislava began in the first period with a Ladislav Nagy power play goal, powered by Vaclav Nedorost. Slovan added on as Nagy scored a shorthanded goal, set up by Milan Bartovic. Zagreb got on the board in the second period with a Matt Anderson goal, fueled by Darren Haydar. Bratislava got it back with a Michal Sersen power play goal, guided in by Ziga Jeglic. Medvescak replied with a Martin St. Pierre goal in the third period, assisted by Pascal Pelletier and Mathieu Carle. Slovan shot back with a power play goal by Libor Hudacek, with a helpers from Tomas Netik and Tomas Surovy. Bratislava won 5-2 when Nagy finished his hat trick with an empty net goal, via Michal Vondrka. The three stars were Nagy, Sersen, and Hudacek.

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