KHL February 1st, 2015

Thirteen games on today, with the first in...

Vladivostok, as Admiral hosts Sibir Novosibirsk. Alexander Salak and Ilya Proskuryakov are in the blue paint. Vladivostok got going in the second period on a Tom Wandell goal, fueled by Niclas Bergfors and Jan Kolar. Admiral added on with a Konstantin Sokolov goal, passed from Konstantin Makarov. Novosibirsk got on the board with a goal by Stepan Sannikov, courtesy of Vyacheslav Belov and David Ullstrom. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Proskuryakov (29 for 30 in saves), Sokolov, and Wandell.

North to Khabarovsk, where Amur welcomes Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Rafael Khakimov and Alexander Pechursky draw the starts. Novokuznetsk began in the first period on a Dmitry Maltsev power play goal, coming off of Nikita Kamalov. Metallurg added on in the second period with a Mikhail Plotnikov goal, via Cade Fairchild. Novokuznetsk extended the lead as Alexander Komaristy scored in the third period, thanks to Nikita Popov. This was good for a 3-0 win, with the three stars handed to Khakimov (28 save shutout), Maltsev, and Plotnikov.

Westward to Omsk, where Avangard brings in Severstal Cherepovets. Sergei Magarilov and Denis Kostin are the inexperienced goalies. Cherepovets led off in the first period on an Anatoly Nikontsev goal, via Vadim Berdnikov and Ilya Khokhlov. Severstal added on in the second period with a Pavel Chernov goal, with a lone assist by Pavel Buchnevich. Omsk got on the board in the third period with a power play goal by Alexander Popov, powered by Sergei Kalinin and Evgeny Kulik. Avangard tied it on a Kulik goal, courtesy of Alexander Perezhogin and Popov. Cherepovets won 3-2 in overtime on a Dmitry Kagarlitsky goal, passed from Chernov. The three stars went to Chernov, Popov, and Kulik.

Up to Ufa, where Salavat Yulaev hosts CSKA Moscow. Kevin Lalande and Leland Irving are the goalies. Moscow dented the scoreboard on a shorthanded goal in the second period by Jan Mursak, set up by Vladimir Zharkov. Ufa tied it on an Ivan Vishnevsky power play goal, powered by Dmitry Makarov and Andrei Zubarev. CSKA took the lead back with a power play goal by Alexander Radulov, with a lone assist by Stephane Da Costa. This made it a 2-1 final, with the three stars being Lalande (25 for 26 in saves), Radulov, and Mursak.

Continuing to Yekaterinburg, where Avtomobilist welcomes Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Barry Brust and Jakub Kovar are the masked men. Yekaterinburg struck first in the second period with an Alexander Nesterov goal, with a lone helper from Sergei Gusev. Avtomobilist added on in the third period with a Dmitry Megalinsky goal, helped along by Nesterov and Artyom Gareyev on the power play. This gave them a 2-0 win, with the three stars handed to Kovar (28 save shutout), Nesterov, and Megalinsky.

Back south, Metallurg Magnitogorsk brings in Traktor Chelyabinsk. Michael Garnett and Vasily Koshechkin tend the twines. Magnitogorsk was first to score in the second period as Chris Lee scored an unassisted goal. Metallurg added on in the third period with a Maxim Yakutsenya goal, assisted by Mikhail Yunkov. this produced the 2-0 final, with the three stars given to Koshechkin (23 save shutout), Lee, and Yakutsenya.

A little to the west, Lada Togliatti hosts Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Alexander Sudnitsin and Evgeny Ivannikov are in the creases. Nizhnekamsk opened in the first period on an Evgeny Grigorenko goal, going in unassisted. Togliatti tied it in the second period as Martin Zatovic scored, thanks to Alexander Sharov. Lada took the lead with an Anton Shenfeld goal, coming off of Andrei Nikitenko. Togliatti added on with a power play goal by Georgy Belousov, powered by Dmitry Ogurtsov. Lada extended the lead as Vitaly Shulakov scored, with the help of Dmitry Vorobyov. Togliatti padded the lead on a Peter Podhradsky power play goal, fueled by Nikitenko and Shenfeld. Neftekhimik took one back in the third period on a power play goal by Maxim Rybin, guided in by Dmitry Kosmachyov and Mikhail Zhukov. Lada finished it at 6-2 with a Belousov goal, his second of the game, made possible by Shenfeld and Nikitenko, the latter getting a sock trick. The three stars were handed to Shenfeld, Belousov, and Nikitenko.

Over in Moscow, Dynamo welcomes Vityaz Podolsk. Ivan Lisutin and Alexander Yeryomenko receive the starting nods. Podolsk started in the first period on a Mario Kempe goal, with a lone assist by Robert Kousal. Moscow tied it on a Gleb Koryagin goal, going in unassisted. Vityaz retook the lead in the second period with an unassisted goal by Dmitry Tsyganov. Dynamo tied it on a power play goal by Kaspars Daugavins, powered by Mat Robinson and Nikolai Zherdev. Moscow took the lead in the third period with a Denis Kokarev goal, fueled by Sergei Soin. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Kokarev, Daugavins, and Koryagin.

Back to Kazan, where Ak Bars brings in Dinamo Minsk. Dmitry Milchakov and Anders Nilsson are set to start. Kazan led off in the first period on a Justin Azevedo goal, guided in by Oscar Moller and Vladimir Denisov. Ak Bars added on in the second period with a Dmitry Obukhov goal, going in unassisted. Minsk got on the board with a power play goal by Matt Ellison, via Charles Linglet and Paul Szczechura. This was as close as it got, and the final stood at 2-1. The three stars were given to Nilsson (29 for 30 in saves), Obukhov, and Azevedo.

Northwest to St. Petersburg, where SKA hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Calvin Heeter and Igor Shestyorkin are the little-known goalies. St. Petersburg began in the first period on a power play goal by Evgeny Dadonov, powered by Ilya Kovalchuk and Vadim Shipachyov. SKA added on with a Jimmie Ericsson goal, fueled by Artemy Panarin and Roman Cervenka. St. Petersburg extended the lead as Maxim Chudinov scored, thanks to Anton Burdasov and Dinar Khafizullin. Zagreb got on the board with a Brandon Segal goal in the second period, with a lone assist by Andrew Hutchinson. Medvescak pulled closer on a Bill Thomas goal in the third period, helped along by Geoffrey Kinrade. SKA shot back with a Dadonov goal, his second of the game, guided in by Panarin and Shipachyov. St. Petersburg finished it with an unassisted Panarin goal. The final was 5-2, and the three stars were Dadonov, Panarin, and Shipachyov.

Down to Sochi, where the Leopards welcome Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Vitaly Kolesnik and Andrei Gavrilov are the backups in goal. Yaroslavl struck first in the first period on a Geoff Platt goal, courtesy of Martin Thornberg and Kirill Kapustin. Sochi tied it in the second period on a Mikhail Anisin goal, fueled by Pyotr Schastlivy. The Leopards took the lead with a Roman Lyuduchin goal, coming off of Ryan Whitney and Nikita Shchitov. Sochi added on in the third period as Ilya Krikunov scored a power play goal, powered by Shchitov and Andrei Kostitsyn. The Leopards wrapped it up at 4-1 with an Alexei Krutov goal, with a lone assist by Lyuduchin. The three stars were Lyuduchin, Gavrilov (28 for 29 in saves), and Shchitov.

Into Finland, where Jokerit Helsinki brought in Atlant Mytishchi. Atte Engren and Henrik Karlsson are between the pipes. Helsinki got going in the third period on a Jere Sallinen goal, assisted by Ryan Gunderson and Ossi Vaananen. Jokerit added on with a Petr Koukal power play goal into an empty net, powered by Niko Kapanen and Topi Jaakola. The final score was 2-0, and the three stars were handed to Karlsson (22 save shutout), Sallinen, and Koukal.

Finally, Dinamo Riga hosts Slovan Bratislava. Johan Backlund and Jakub Sedlacek are the reliable goalies. Riga was first to score in the first period on a Roberts Bukarts goal, coming off of Mikelis Redlihs and Linus Videll. Dinamo added on with a Kaspars Saulietis goal, fueled by Aleksandrs Jerofejevs. Denis Godla replaced Backlund. Riga extended the lead on a Videll goal, with a lone assist by Bukarts. Dinamo padded the lead in the second period as Lauris Darzins scored, thanks to Miks Indrasis and Kyle Wilson. Riga continued on a Krisjanis Redlihs power play goal, powered by Bukarts and Mikelis Redlihs. Dinamo finished it at 6-0 on an Indrasis goal in the third period, helped along by Darzins. The three stars were given to Bukarts, Videll, and Indrasis, while Mikelis Redlihs, Darzins, and Sedlacek (22 save shutout) received the honorable mentions.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Premier League Week 23

Another ten games on for the next two days. The first of eight on Saturday features...

Hull City hosting Newcastle United. Tim Krul and Allan McGregor are the goalies. Hull City took the first yellow card in the twenty-fifth minute for a David Meyler foul. In the twenty-ninth minute, Newcastle United's Vurnon Anita received a yellow card. Newcastle United started the scoring with a fortieth minute Remy Cabella goal. Hull City took another yellow card for a first-half stoppage time hand ball by Ahmed Elmohamady. Newcastle United added on in the fiftieth minute with a Sammy Ameobi goal, passed from Jack Colback. In the sixty-fourth minute, Andrew Robertson of Hull City was shown a yellow card for his foul. Newcastle United extended their lead with a Yoan Gouffran goal, coming off of Massadio Haidara. Hull City had a yellow card for a Jake Livermore foul in the eighty-ninth minute. The final favored Newcastle United 3-0.

Down in London, Crystal Palace welcomes Everton. Joel Robles and Julian Speroni draw the starts. Everton began in the second minute with a Romelu Lukaku goal from close range. Everton saw yellow cards for Bryan Oviedo in the eightieth minute and Robles in stoppage time for time wasting. Everton took the game 1-0.

Back north, Liverpool brings in West Ham United. Adrian and Simon Mignolet protect the nets. Liverpool led off in the fifty-first minute on a Raheem Sterling goal, coming off of Philippe Coutinho. In the sixtieth minute, Andy Carroll of West Ham received a yellow card. Liverpool added on in the eightieth minute on a Daniel Sturridge goal, passed from Coutinho. Liverpool's Sterling received a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. Liverpool cruised to a 2-0 victory.

Continuing to Manchester United hosting Leicester City. Mark Schwarzer is mismatched with David de Gea in goal. In the twenty-seventh minute, Manchester United got going on a Robin van Persie goal, made possible by Daley Blind with the through ball. Manchester United added on in the thirty-second minute with a Falcao goal from close range. Leicester City took a yellow card for a thirty-fourth minute Daniel Drinkwater foul. Manchester United got a gift with an own goal by Leicester City's Wes Morgan in the forty-fourth minute. Leicester City got one back in the eightieth minute with a Marcin Wasilewski header goal on a cross after a corner kick by Marc Albrighton. Manchester United won 3-1.

Over to Stoke City welcoming the Queens Park Rangers. Robert Green and Asmir Begovic are between the posts. Stoke City struck first in the twenty-first minute on a Jonathan Walters goal, courtesy of Stephen Ireland. QPR had a yellow card for Mauricio Isla's foul in the twenty-fourth minute. In the thirty-fourth minute Ireland set up another Walters goal to extend the Stoke City lead. In the thirty-sixth minute, Niko Kranjcar got QPR on the board with an unassisted goal. Victor Moses of Stoke City took a yellow card in the fifty-eighth minute. QPR's Joey Barton received a yellow card for his sixty-eighth minute foul. In the eighty-fifth minute, Walters of Stoke City took a yellow card for a foul. Stoke City iced it at 3-1 as Walters completed his hat trick on a header goal after a set piece.

Next up, Sunderland brings in Burnley. Tom Heaton and Costel Pantilimon draw the starts in goal. Sunderland opened with a Connor Wickham goal in the twentieth minute, via Anthony Reveillere on a cross. Sunderland added on with a Jermain Defoe goal in the thirty-fourth minute, made possible by Patrick van Aanholt. Sunderland saw yellow cards for an Adam Johnson foul in the sixty-ninth minute, a Sebastian Larsson foul in the eighty-ninth minute, and time wasting in stoppage time by Pantilimon. Dean Marney of Burnley received a yellow card in stoppage time as well. Sunderland cruised to a 2-0 win.

Along the line, West Bromwich Albion hosts Tottenham Hotspur. Hugo Lloris and Ben Foster are the keepers. Tottenham Hotspur was first to score with a sixth minute Christian Eriksen goal on a free kick. In the fifteenth minute, Harry Kane scored for Tottenham Hotspur, with the help of Mousa Dembele. In the fifty-fifth minute, West Brom's Saido Berahino received a yellow card. Tottenham Hotspur extended the lead with a sixty-fourth minute Kane penalty kick goal. In the eightieth minute Claudio Yacob of West Brom took a yellow card for a foul. Tottenham Hotspur saw a yellow card for Erik Lamela's foul in stoppage time. Tottenham Hotspur claimed a 3-0 victory.

Closing out Saturday, Chelsea welcomes Manchester City in a battle at the top of the table. Joe Hart and Thibaut Courtois guard the woodwork. Chelsea dented the scoreboard with a forty-first minute goal by Loic Remy, via Eden Hazard. Manchester City tied it as David Silva scored in the forty-fourth minute, thanks to Sergio Aguero. Silva took a yellow card in the fifty-second minute for Manchester City. In the seventy-fourth minute, Fernando of Manchester City had a yellow card for his foul. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Sunday's first game had Arsenal bringing Aston Villa. Brad Guzan and David Ospina are in the six-yard boxes. Arsenal struck first in the eighth minute with a goal by Olivier Giroud, passed from Mesut Ozil on a through ball. In the fifty-sixth minute, Ozil scored on a pass from Giroud on a through ball. Aston Villa took a yellow card for a fifty-seventh minute foul by Ciaran Clark. Arsenal extended the lead on a Theo Walcott goal in the sixty-third minute, coming off of Santiago Cazorla. In the sixty-eighth minute, Aston Villa took a yellow card for a Carles Gil foul. Arsenal padded the lead on a Cazorla penalty kick goal in the seventy-fifth minute. Arsenal iced it at 5-0 with a stoppage time goal by Hector Bellerin, made possible by Cazorla.

Finally, Southampton hosts Swansea City. Lukasz Fabianski and Fraser Forster draw the starts in goal. In the forty-fourth minute, Neil Taylor of Swansea City took a yellow card for a foul. Southampton saw a yellow card go to Maya Yoshida in the sixty-fourth minute for his foul. Swansea City opened the scoring in the eighty-third minute on a Jonjo Shelvey goal, via Modou Barrow. Southampton went down a man in the eighty-ninth minute when Ryan Bertrand received a red card for a foul. Swansea City won 1-0.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion. 

NHL January 31st, 2015

Eleven games on for today, beginning with three matinees, the first of which is in...

Montreal, as the Canadiens host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Carey Price guard the cages. Montreal won the game 1-0 in overtime on a Max Pacioretty goal, his twenty-third of the campaign, assisted by Tomas Plekanec and P.K. Subban. The three stars were awarded to Price (36 save shutout), Pacioretty, and Holtby (29 for 30 in saves).

Over to Detroit, where the Red Wings welcome the New York Islanders. Chad Johnson and Petr Mrazek are given the starting nods. Detroit opened in the first period on a Tomas Tatar power play goal, his twenty-second of the season, powered by Pavel Datsyuk and Danny DeKeyser. The Red Wings added on with a Brendan Smith goal, his third of the year, coming off of Tomas Jurco and Riley Sheahan in the second period. New York got on the board in the third period with a Lubomir Visnovsky power play goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Frans Nielsen and Brock Nelson. Detroit answered on an unassisted Jonathan Ericsson goal, his third of the year. The Red Wings iced it at 4-1 with a Gustav Nyquist power play goal, his twentieth of the campaign, fueled by Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall. The three stars went to Smith, Mrazek (22 for 23 in saves), and Ericsson.

Back in Canada, the Ottawa Senators bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Robin Lehner are in the creases. Arizona started in the first period on a Zbynek Michalek goal, his second of the season, going in unassisted. Ottawa tied it on an unassisted Mike Hoffman goal, his seventeenth of the year. The Senators took the lead in the second period with a Milan Michalek goal, his seventh of the campaign, courtesy of David Legwand and Marc Methot. Ottawa added on with a Mark Stone goal, his twelfth of the season, made possible by Methot and Legwand. The Senators extended the lead in the third period as Bobby Ryan scored his fourteenth of the year, thanks to Clarke MacArthur and Mika Zibanejad. Ottawa padded the lead on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau goal, his second of the campaign, via Erik Karlsson. Louis Domingue replaced Smith in goal. The Coyotes got one back on a Sam Gagner goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Lauri Korpikoski and Keith Yandle. The Senators replied with a Karlsson goal, his twelfth of the year, assisted by Stone and Methot, the latter getting a sock trick. Ottawa finished it at 7-2 with a Zibanejad goal, his thirteenth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Ryan. The three stars were Methot, Stone, and Karlsson, while Legwand, Ryan, and Zibanejad get the honorable mentions.

At the regular time, the Boston Bruins hosted the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Tuukka Rask tend the twines. Boston got going in the second period as Brad Marchand scored his fourteenth of the season, thanks to Zdeno Chara and Gregory Campbell. Los Angeles tied it on a third period goal by Jordan Nolan, his second of the year, courtesy of Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin. The Bruins took the lead back with a Chris Kelly goal, his sixth of the season, passed from Carl Soderberg and Torey Krug. Boston iced it at 3-1 with an unassisted empty net goal by Marchand, his second of the game and fifteenth of the year. The three stars were Marchand, Rask (30 for 31 in saves), and Kelly.

Down in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Keith Kinkaid are set to start in goal. New Jersey struck first in the first period on a Jaromir Jagr goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Dainius Zubrus and Michael Cammalleri. The Devils added on with a Cammalleri goal, his sixteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Steve Bernier and Scott Gomez. New Jersey extended the lead in the third period on a Bernier empty net goal, his eighth of the season, set up by Adam Henrique. Florida avoided the shutout with a Brandon Pirri goal, his sixth of the year, with a lone assist by Brian Campbell. The final was 3-1, with the three stars going to Cammalleri, Kinkaid (26 for 27 in saves), and Bernier.

Over to New York, where the Rangers bring in the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Henrik Lundqvist are the veteran goalies. New York was first to score in the first period on a Rick Nash goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, going in unassisted. The Rangers added on with a shorthanded goal by Dominic Moore, his fourth of the year, set up by Ryan McDonagh. Carolina got on the board in the second period with a Brad Malone goal, his fourth of the season, via Ryan Murphy and Patrick Dwyer. New York shot back in the third period on a Chris Kreider goal, his eleventh of the year, coming off of Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello. The Rangers finished it at 4-1 with a Dan Boyle goal, his fifth of the campaign, helped along by Carl Hagelin and Jesper Fast. The three stars belonged to Lundqvist (31 for 32 in saves), Moore, and Kreider.

West a little to Philadelphia, where the Flyers host the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Steve Mason are the masked men. Philadelphia led off in the first period on a Michael Del Zotto goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Petr Straka and Wayne Simmonds. This held up for a 1-0 win, with the three stars given to Mason (30 save shutout), Del Zotto, and Reimer (17 for 18 in saves).

Northwest to Winnipeg, where the Jets welcome the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Michael Hutchinson are the goalies. Dallas began in the first period on a Patrick Eaves power play goal, his fifth of the season, powered by Tyler Seguin and John Klingberg. Winnipeg tied it on an Andrew Ladd goal, his eighteenth of the year, coming off of Mark Stuart and Jacob Trouba. The Stars took the lead back with a Shawn Horcoff power play goal, his seventh of the season, via Trevor Daley and Ales Hemsky. Dallas added on with a Jason Spezza power play goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Seguin and Klingberg. The Stars extended the lead in the third period as Klingberg scored his eighth of the season, with the help of Vernon Fiddler and Colton Sceviour. Dallas padded the lead on Klingberg's second of the game and ninth of the year, a power play goal fueled by Seguin, who got a sock trick, and Jamie Benn. The Jets got one back on a Toby Enstrom goal, his second of the campaign, with assists provided by Blake Wheeler and Ladd. This only made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars being Klingberg, Seguin, and Ladd.

Backtracking to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis McElhinney and Ben Bishop are in the blue paint. Tampa Bay dented the scoreboard in the first period on a Brett Connolly goal, his ninth of the season, via Brenden Morrow and Jason Garrison. The Lightning added on in the third period on a Cedric Paquette goal, his tenth of the year, assisted by Jonathan Drouin and Alex Killorn. Tampa Bay extended the lead on a Valtteri Filppula goal, his tenth of the season, going in unassisted. Columbus got on the board with a Ryan Johansen goal, his nineteenth of the year, guided in by David Savard and Ryan Murray. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Bishop (34 for 35 in saves), Paquette, and Filppula.

Very far to the northwest, the Calgary Flames host the Edmonton Oilers for a Battle of Alberta. Ben Scrivens and Jonas Hiller are the journeymen goalies. Edmonton opened in the first period on a Jordan Eberle goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers added on with a Benoit Pouliot goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Eberle and Jeff Petry. Calgary got on the board in the third period with a Paul Byron goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Mason Raymond and Josh Jooris. The Flames tied it on a Lance Bouma goal, his seventh of the year, via David Jones and Mikael Backlund. Calgary took the lead with a Sean Monahan power play goal, his sixteenth of the season, powered by Mark Giordano and Dennis Wideman. The Flames iced it at 4-2 on another Bouma goal, his second of the game and eighth of the year, with helpers from Backlund and Jones. The three stars were Bouma, Eberle, and Backlund, while Jones gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Chicago Blackhawks. Antti Raanta and Antti Niemi are the Finnish netminders. San Jose started with a first period goal by Melker Karlsson, his eighth of the season, coming off of Matt Irwin and Joe Thornton. The Sharks made it 2-0 in the third period on a Thornton empty net goal, his eleventh of the year, set up by Karlsson and Matt Tennyson. The three stars belonged to Niemi (31 save shutout), Karlsson, and Thornton.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

NHL January 30th, 2015

Five games for the night, with the first in...

Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes host the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Anton Khudobin are the young goalies. St. Louis struck first in the first period with a Ryan Reaves goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Steve Ott and Marcel Goc. The Blues added on with a David Backes goal, his seventeenth of the year, assisted by Alex Pietrangelo and T.J. Oshie. Cam Ward replaced Khudobin in goal. Carolina got on the board with a Justin Faulk goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Jay McClement and Brad Malone. The Hurricanes tied it in the second period on a Ryan Murphy power play goal, powered by Riley Nash and Jordan Staal. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Kevin Shattenkirk took the game for the Blues with his lone tally making it a 3-2 win. The three stars went to Ward (29 for 29 in saves in relief), Reaves, and Murphy.

Up in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Cory Schneider guard the cages. New Jersey got going in the third period on a Steve Bernier goal, his seventh of the season, going in unassisted. Pittsburgh tied it on a Chris Kunitz power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang. The Penguins won 2-1 in overtime as Simon Despres scored his second of the campaign, thanks to Brandon Sutter and Letang. The three stars were Despres, Letang, and Schneider (41 for 43 in saves).

Out west, the Colorado Avalanche host the Nashville Predators. Marek Mazanec is mismatched with Semyon Varlamov in goal. Colorado was first to score in the first period on a Max Talbot goal, his fourth of the season, courtesy of Nathan MacKinnon and Ryan O'Reilly. The Avalanche added on in the third period as Jarome Iginla scored his sixteenth of the year, with the help of Matt Duchene and Alex Tanguay. Colorado iced it with a Gabriel Landeskog empty net goal, his tenth of the campaign, set up by MacKinnon. The three stars were Varlamov (23 save shutout), MacKinnon, and Talbot.

Northwest to Vancouver, as the Canucks bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Matt Hackett and Ryan Miller draw the starts in goal. Buffalo began in the first period on a Chris Stewart power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons. Vancouver tied it as Bo Horvat scored his fourth of the year, thanks to Zack Kassian and Shawn Matthias. The Canucks took the lead in the second period with a Yannick Weber power play goal, his fourth of the season, via Chris Higgins and Linden Vey. Vancouver added on with a Nick Bonino power play goal, his eleventh of the year, with helpers provided by Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin. The Sabres pulled back with another Stewart power play goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, coming off of Brian Flynn and Nikita Zadorov. The Canucks replied with a third period goal by Higgins, his seventh of the year, passed from Christopher Tanev and Dan Hamhuis. Vancouver iced it at 5-2 on a Radim Vrbata empty net goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, set up by Tanev and Henrik Sedin. The three stars were Stewart, Higgins, and Henrik Sedin, while Tanev gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Frederik Andersen tend the twines. Chicago led off in the first period with a Jonathan Toews goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with a Duncan Keith goal, his seventh of the year, with a lone assist by Sharp. Chicago extended the lead on a Kane goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, fueled by Sharp, who got a sock trick, and Brad Richards. Anaheim got on the board with a third period goal by Rickard Rakell, his fifth of the year, a power play goal powered by Corey Perry and Patrick Maroon. The Blackhawks iced it at 4-1 with Kane's second of the game and twenty-fifth of the campaign, made possible by Sharp and Johnny Oduya. The three stars were Sharp, Kane, and Crawford (21 for 22 in saves).

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

KHL January 30th, 2015

Eleven games set for today, beginning in...

Omsk, as Avangard hosts Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Ivan Kasutin and Denis Kostin are the goalies. Omsk opened in the first period on a Vladimir Sobotka power play goal, powered by Sergei Shirokov and Sergei Kalinin. Nizhny Novgorod tied it on a second period Gennady Stolyarov goal, coming off of the goalie Kasutin and Sakari Salminen on the power play. Torpedo took the lead in the third period with a Nikita Filatov goal, with a lone assist by Evgeny Mozer. Nizhny Novgorod added on with an unassisted goal by Alexei Potapov. Avangard got one back on an Alexander Perezhogin goal, via Vadim Khomitsky. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Potapov, Filatov, and Stolyarov.

Down in Kazakhstan, Barys Astana welcome CSKA Moscow. Ilya Sorokin and Pavel Poluektov are in the blue paint. Moscow began in the first period with a Maxim Mamin goal, passed from Roman Lyubimov. CSKA added on with a Sergei Andronov power play goal, powered by Jan Mursak and Stephane Da Costa. Moscow extended the lead in the second period as Da Costa scored, thanks to Mikhail Naumenkov and Andronov. CSKA padded the lead on a Nikita Zaitsev power play goal, helped along by Da Costa and Andreas Engqvist. CSKA kept going with a Lyubimov goal, going in unassisted. Astana got on the board in the third period with a Mike Lundin goal, courtesy of Nigel Dawes and Brandon Bochenski. This was only good enough to make it a 5-1 final, with the three stars going to Da Costa, Andronov, and Lyubimov.

Back in Russia, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg brings in Dinamo Minsk. Danny Taylor and Jakub Kovar draw the starts in goal. Minsk led off in the first period with a power play goal by Jonathan Cheechoo, powered by Ryan Vesce and Nick Bailen. Yekaterinburg got on the board with a second period goal by Alexander Nesterov, fueled by Eduard Lewandowski. Avtomobilist took the lead on an Alexander Loginov goal, with a lone assist by Anton Lazarev. Dinamo retied it on a third period power play goal by Alexander Materukhin, coming off of Lukas Krajicek. Minsk gained the lead as Alexander Kulakov scored, with the help of Charles Linglet and Dmitry Meleshko. Yekaterinburg tied it with a Lazarev goal, guided in by Nikita Tryamkin and Sami Lepisto. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Anatoly Golyshev and Aaron Palushaj gave Avtomobilist the 4-3 win. The three stars went to Lazarev, Loginov, and Nesterov.

Into Ufa, where Salavat Yulaev hosts Severstal Cherepovets. Sergei Magarilov is mismatched with Vladimir Sokhatsky in goal. Ufa started in the first period with a Denis Tolpeko goal, courtesy of Arturs Kulda and Dmitry Semin. Salavat Yulaev added on with a Semin goal, coming off of Andrei Zubarev. Ufa extended the lead in the second period on a Kirill Koltsov goal, with a lone assist by Evgeny Skachkov. Cherepovets tied it with an unassisted Nikolai Stasenko goal. Severstal got closer on a Pavel Chernov goal, fueled by Pavel Buchnevich and Dmitry Kagarlitsky. Cherepovets tied it on an Evgeny Kovyrshin goal, with a lone helper from Sergei Monakhov. Salavat Yulaev took the lead back with a Koltsov, helped along by Alexei Kaigorodov. Severstal tied it on a Buchnevich penalty shot goal, coming after he was cross-checked by Denis Bodrov. Cherepovets took the lead with a Yury Trubachyov goal, made possible by Maxim Trunyov. This held up for a 5-4 win, with the three stars going to Buchnevich, Koltsov, and Semin.

Backtracking to Magnitogorsk, where Metallurg welcomes Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Stepan Goryachevskikh and Vasily Koshechkin are the reliable goalies. Magnitogorsk struck first in the first period on a Sergei Tereshchenko goal, assisted by Evgeny Timkin and Vladimir Malenkikh. Khanty-Mansiysk tied it on a second period goal by Artyom Bulyansky, coming off of Philip Larsen and Nikita Gusev. Metallurg retook the lead as Tereshchenko scored his second of the game, helped along by Chris Lee and Maxim Yakutsenya on the power play. Yugra tied it again with a Ben Maxwell goal, guided in by Lukas Kaspar and Grigory Zheldakov. Khanty-Mansiysk took the lead in the third period on an Igor Magogin goal, with a lone assist by Gusev. Magnitogorsk retied it as Danis Zaripov scored, thanks to Viktor Antipin and Sergei Mozyakin. Metallurg pulled ahead with a Tim Brent goal, made possible by Lee and Malenkikh. Magnitogorsk iced it at 5-3 on a Tim Stapleton goal, via Evgeny Biryukov and Oskar Osala. The three stars went to Tereshchenko, Lee, and Malenkikh, while Gusev gets an honorable mention.

Southwest to Sochi, where the Leopards bring in Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Andrei Gavrilov are the masked men. Podolsk was first to score with an unassisted Maxim Afinogenov goal in the first period. Sochi tied it on an Evgeny Lapenkov power play goal, powered by Clay Wilson and Andre Petersson. Vityaz retook the lead with an Afinogenov goal in the second period, made possible by Roman Horak and Mario Kempe. The Leopards tied it again with a Roman Lyuduchin goal, via Alexei Krutov and Alexander Shcherbina. Sochi gained the lead in the third period as Andrei Kostitsyn scored, thanks to Igor Ignatushkin. The Leopards added on with a Cory Emmeton goal, with a lone assist by Petersson. Sochi won 5-2 on a Pyotr Schastlivy goal, helped along by Mikhail Anisin. The three stars were handed to Afinogenov, Petersson, and Kostitsyn.

Up in Kazan, Ak Bars hosts Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vasily Demchenko and Emil Garipov are between the pipes. Chelyabinsk opened in the first period on an unassisted Andrei Popov. Kazan tied it in the second period on an Alexander Svitov goal, courtesy of Artyom Lukoyanov and Igor Mirnov. Ak Bars gained the lead in the third period with a Mikhail Varnakov goal, passed from Konstantin Korneyev and Oscar Moller. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars given to Garipov (21 for 22 in saves), Varnakov, and Svitov.

Continuing to Moscow, where Dynamo welcomes Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Curtis Sanford and Alexander Lazushin protect the nets. Moscow got going in the second period with a Maxim Karpov goal, made possible by Dmitry Vishnevsky and Mat Robinson. This was all they needed for the 1-0 win. The three stars belonged to Lazushin (19 save shutout), Karpov, and Sanford (27 for 28 in saves).

North to Helsinki, where Jokerit brings in Slovan Bratislava. Johan Backlund and Henrik Karlsson guard the cages. Helsinki started in the first period on a Jere Sallinen goal, via Tomi Maki and Juhamatti Aaltonen. Jokerit added on with a Petteri Wirtanen goal in the second period, assisted by Aaltonen and Atte Ohtamaa. Helsinki extended the lead in the third period as Steve Moses scored a power play goal, powered by Ville Lajunen and Linus Omark. Jokerit finished it at 4-0 with another Sallinen goal, with a lone helper by Aaltonen, who got a sock trick. The three stars were Sallinen, Karlsson (20 save shutout), and Aaltonen.

Back to Russia again, as SKA St. Petersburg hosts Atlant Mytishchi. Atte Engren and Mikko Koskinen tend the twines. St. Petersburg led off in the first period with a power play goal by Artemy Panarin, powered by Evgeny Dadonov and Vadim Shipachyov. Mytishchi tied it with a Nikita Soshnikov goal, with a lone assist by Anton Babchuk. Atlant took the lead in the second period as Vyacheslav Leshchenko scored, thanks to Artyom Voronin. Mytishchi added on in the third period with an Albert Yarullin goal, via Evgeny Bodrov. This was good for a 3-1 win, with the three stars given to Engren (32 for 33 in saves), Leshchenko, and Yarullin.

Finally, Dinamo Riga hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Calvin Heeter and Jeff Deslauriers have the green light to play goal. Zagreb dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Patrick Bjorkstrand power play goal, powered by Mathieu Carle and Ville Leino. Riga tied it in the third period as Miks Indrasis scored, with the help of Lauris Darzins and Kyle Wilson. Medvescak took the lead back with an unassisted goal by Bill Thomas. This gave them a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Heeter (23 for 24 in saves), Thomas, and Bjorkstrand.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

NHL January 29th, 2015

Eleven games tonight, beginning on...

Long Island, where the New York Islanders host the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak tend the twines. Boston struck first in the first period on a Reilly Smith goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Milan Lucic and David Krejci. The Bruins added on with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his twelfth of the year, a power play goal powered by Dougie Hamilton and Smith. New York got on the board in the second period as John Tavares goal, his twenty-third of the season, thanks to Cal Clutterbuck and Travis Hamonic. The Islanders tied it on a Michael Grabner goal, his fifth of the year, courtesy of Johnny Boychuk and Tavares. Boston took the lead back on an unassisted Kevan Miller goal, his second of the season. The Bruins extended the lead with a Torey Krug goal, his tenth of the year, helped along by Smith and Lucic. Boston padded the lead on a Lucic empty net goal, his tenth of the campaign, set up by Krejci and Zdeno Chara. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars being Smith, Lucic, and Tavares, while Krejci gets the honorable mention.

Also in New York, the Rangers welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist guard the cages. Montreal dented the scoreboard in the third period on a Max Pacioretty goal, his twenty-second of the season, via Dale Weise and Alexei Emelin. This was all they needed for the 1-0 win. The three stars went to Price (24 save shutout), Pacioretty, and Lundqvist (25 for 26 in saves).

Over to Philadelphia, the Flyers bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Michael Hutchinson and Steve Mason are in the creases. Philadelphia was first to score in the first period on a Chris VandeVelde goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Michael Del Zotto and Luke Schenn. Winnipeg tied it on a Mathieu Perreault goal, his sixteenth of the year, courtesy of Michael Frolik. The Flyers took the lead as Wayne Simmonds scored his eighteenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn. The Jets tied it again on a Perreault power play goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, with assists provided by Dustin Byfuglien and Mark Scheifele. Philadelphia took the lead in the second period on a Nick Schultz goal, helped along by Petr Straka and Ryan White. The Flyers added on with a Brayden Schenn goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Simmonds. Philadelphia iced it at 5-2 with a Sean Couturier empty net goal, his eleventh of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars were Brayden Schenn, Perreault, and Simmonds.

Up in Ottawa, the Senators host the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen faces a lesser foe in Robin Lehner in goal. Dallas led off in the first period on a Jamie Benn power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by John Klingberg and Patrick Eaves. The Stars added on with a Colton Sceviour goal, his sixth of the year, via Vernon Fiddler and Trevor Daley. Dallas extended the lead as Ales Hemsky goal, his eighth of the season, coming on the power play from Daley and Sceviour. Ottawa got on the board with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his twelfth of the year, fueled by Bobby Ryan and Clarke MacArthur. The Senators pulled closer with a Ryan power play goal, his thirteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Cody Ceci. Ottawa tied it in the third period with an Alex Chiasson goal, his eighth of the year, made possible by Kyle Turris. The Stars took the lead back with an unassisted goal by Klingberg, his seventh of the season. Dallas padded the lead on a Daley shorthanded empty net goal, his twelfth of the year, set up by Cody Eakin. The Stars iced it at 6-3 with a shorthanded, unassisted, empty net goal by Benn, his second of the game and sixteenth of the campaign. The three stars went to Daley, Klingberg, and Sceviour, while Benn gets an honorable mention.

South to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek and Ben Bishop draw the starts. Tampa Bay opened in the first period on a Cedric Paquette goal, his seventh of the season, guided in by Alex Killorn and Jason Garrison. Detroit tied it on a Darren Helm goal, his ninth of the year, via Jonathan Ericsson and Pavel Datsyuk. The Lightning took the lead back with a Paquette goal, his second of the game and eighth of the season, courtesy of Jonathan Drouin and Killorn. Tampa Bay added on in the second period on a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, powered by Anton Stralman and Drouin. The Lightning extended the lead as Paquette scored his ninth of the season, a shorthanded and unassisted goal to secure his hat trick. Tampa Bay padded the lead on a Mark Barberio goal, coming off of Andrej Sustr and Tyler Johnson. This was good for a 5-1 win, with the three stars being Paquette, Drouin, and Killorn.

North again to Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jonathan Bernier are set to start in goal. Toronto began in the first period on a Phil Kessel goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by James van Riemsdyk and Morgan Rielly. Arizona tied it on an Oliver Ekman-Larsson shorthanded goal in the third period, his thirteenth of the year, set up by Lauri Korpikoski. The Coyotes took the lead as Martin Hanzal scored his eighth of the season, thanks to Sam Gagner. Arizona iced it at 3-1 with a Gagner power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Keith Yandle and Martin Erat. The three stars were given to Gagner, Smith (24 for 25 in saves), and Hanzal.

Backtracking to Florida again, as the Panthers host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Curtis McElhinney and Roberto Luongo are in the blue paint. Columbus got going in the second period on a Jack Johnson goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Cam Atkinson and Nick Foligno. Florida tied it on a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his ninth of the year, guided in by Brad Boyes and Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers took the lead with an Aaron Ekblad goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Brian Campbell and Dave Bolland. The Blue Jackets tied it on an Alexander Wennberg goal, his second of the year, via Artem Anisimov and Josh Anderson. Florida took the lead in the third period with a Sean Bergenheim power play goal, his eighth of the campaign, his eighth of the campaign, powered by Dmitry Kulikov and Alex Petrovic. This was good for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Bergenheim, Ekblad, and Huberdeau.

Northwest to St. Louis, where the Blues welcome the Nashville Predators. Carter Hutton and Brian Elliott are between the pipes. Nashville started in the first period on a Mike Fisher goal, his tenth of the season, assisted by Roman Josi and Shea Weber on the power play. The Predators added on in the second period on a Filip Forsberg goal, his seventeenth of the year, courtesy of Craig Smith and Mike Ribeiro. St. Louis got on the board with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his seventeenth of the season, via Vladimir Tarasenko and Carl Gunnarsson. The Blues tied it on a T.J. Oshie goal, his fourteenth of the year, coming off of Paul Stastny and David Backes. St. Louis took the lead on a Steve Ott goal, his second of the season, fueled by Kevin Shattenkirk and Patrik Berglund. Nashville retied it on a shorthanded goal by Fisher, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, set up by Josi and Calle Jarnkrok. The Blues regained the lead on a Ryan Reaves goal, his fourth of the season, with a lone assist by Dmitrij Jaskin. The Predators retied it on a James Neal goal, his sixteenth of the year, passed from Fisher and Colin Wilson. The tie went to a shootout, where Oshie and Shattenkirk topped Josi for a 5-4 Blues win. The three stars went to Fisher, Josi, and Shattenkirk.

Continuing to Calgary, where the Flames bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Jonas Hiller are the average goalies. Minnesota led off in the first period on a Zach Parise goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Thomas Vanek. This held up for a 1-0 win, with the three stars being Dubnyk (30 save shutout), Hiller (31 for 32 in saves), and Parise.

Also in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host the Buffalo Sabres. Jhonas Enroth and Ben Scrivens are the lousy goalies. Buffalo struck first in the first period on a Tyler Myers goal, his second of the season, via Torrey Mitchell and Brian Gionta. Edmonton tied it on a Matt Fraser goal, his sixth of the year, courtesy of Anton Lander and Luke Gazdic. The Oilers took the lead on an Oscar Klefbom goal, passed from Lander and Fraser. Edmonton added on in the third period, assisted by Teddy Purcell and Fraser. The Sabres got one back on a Rasmus Ristolainen goal, his fourth of the campaign, coming off of Gionta and Zemgus Girgensons. This only made it 3-2, with the three stars given to Lander, Fraser, and Gionta.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Anaheim Ducks. Ilya Bryzgalov and Antti Niemi received the starting nods. Anaheim was first to score in the first period on an Andrew Cogliano goal, his sixth of the season, coming off of Rickard Rakell and Jakob Silfverberg. San Jose tied it on a Joe Pavelski goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, guided in by Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau on the power play. The Sharks took the lead in the second period with a Barclay Goodrow goal, his third of the campaign, courtesy of James Sheppard and Tomas Hertl. San Jose added on with a Marleau goal, his tenth of the season, via Brent Burns and Thornton. The Sharks extended the lead as Matt Irwin scored his third of the year, thanks to Logan Couture. San Jose padded the lead with a Sheppard goal, his fifth of the campaign, assisted by Goodrow and Hertl. The Sharks chased Bryzgalov (replaced by Frederik Andersen) on a shorthanded Brenden Dillon goal, his second of the season, set up by Matthew Nieto and Matt Tennyson. The Ducks got one back in the third period on a Matt Beleskey goal, his nineteenth of the year, with helpers from Ryan Kesler and Kyle Palmieri. Anaheim pulled closer on a Patrick Maroon goal, his sixth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Hampus Lindholm. This made it 6-3, the final, with the three stars being Goodrow, Marleau, and Sheppard, while Thornton and Hertl get the honorable mentions.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

KHL January 29th, 2015

Three games on today, beginning in...

Novokuznetsk, where Metallurg hosts Admiral Vladivostok. Ivan Nalimov and Rafael Khakimov are set to start in goal. Novokuznetsk struck first in the first period on a Mikhail Plotnikov goal, fueled by Vadim Mitryakov. Vladivostok tied it on a Konstantin Sokolov goal, via Richard Gynge. Admiral took the lead on a Vladislav Ushenin goal, coming off of Artyom Zemchyonok. Vladivostok added on with a Niclas Bergfors goal, made possible by Tom Wandell and Enver Lisin. Andrei Kareyev replaced Khakimov in goal. Metallurg got one back with a Kirill Kaprizov goal, going in unassisted. Novokuznetsk tied it on a Kaprizov goal in the second period, courtesy of Ansel Galimov and Cade Fairchild. Metallurg took the lead on an Alexander Komaristy goal, assisted by Konstantin Turukin and Plotnikov. Ilya Proskuryakov replaced Nalimov in goal. Admiral retied it in the third period on a Shaun Heshka goal, driven in by Jan Kolar and Ilya Zubov. In the shootout, Bergfors was topped by Komaristy and Ryan Stoa for a 5-4 Metallurg win. The three stars went to Kaprizov, Plotnikov, and Komaristy.

Moving to Novosibirsk, where Sibir welcomes Amur Khabarovsk. Alexander Pechursky and Alexander Salak draw the starts. Novosibirsk got going in the second period on an Artyom Voroshilo shorthanded goal, set up by Viktor Bobrov. Khabarovsk tied it on a Vyacheslav Litovchenko goal, coming off of Sergei Peretyagin and Ruslan Bashkirov. Sibir took the lead back on an Alexei Kopeikin goal, guided in by David Ullstrom and Patrik Hersley. Novosibirsk added on with a Jarno Koskiranta goal, assisted by Dmitry Kugryshev and Vyacheslav Belov. Sibir extended the lead in the third period with an Igor Ozhiganov goal, with a lone assist by Ullstrom. This produced the 4-1 final, with the three stars going to Salak (22 for 23 in saves), Ullstrom, and Kopeikin.

Finally, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk brings in Lada Togliatti. Evgeny Ivannikov and Ville Kolppanen are in the blue paint. Nizhnekamsk was first to score in the first period on a Yaroslav Alshevsky goal, fueled by Pavel Kulikov and Alexander Yevseyenkov. Togliatti tied it on a Georgy Belousov penalty shot goal, which he received for being slashed by Yevseyenkov. Lada took the lead in the second period on an Alexander Sharov goal, assisted by Martin Zatovic and Stanislav Bocharov. Neftekhimik tied it again with an Evgeny Ryasensky goal, helped along by Stanislav Alshevsky and Yegor Milovzorov. Nizhnekamsk took the lead on a Matt Anderson goal, with a lone assist by Mikhail Zhukov. Togliatti tied it in the third period as Denis Golubev scored, thanks to Jiri Hunkes and Alexander Chernikov. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Andrei Mnikhovich cancelled out Belousov so Milovzorov could score the clincher and give Neftekhimik the 4-3 win. The three stars went to Milovzorov, Belousov, and Anderson.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.