Sunday, May 10, 2015

Major League Soccer Week 10

All teams in action over the next three days, with two games on Friday to get us going. We begin in...

Florida, as Orlando City SC hosts the New England Revolution. Bobby Shuttleworth and Donovan Ricketts are the veteran goalies. New England opened in the nineteenth minute with a Charlie Davies goal, via Scott Caldwell. Orlando City's Brek Shea took a yellow card for a thirty-first minute foul. The Revolution saw a yellow card for a London Woodberry foul in the thirty-eighth minute. In first half stoppage time, Rafael Ramos of Orlando City took a yellow card for a foul. New England's Jermaine Jones was booked on a yellow card for his fifty-third minute foul. Orlando City took another yellow card in the sixty-fifth minute for a foul by Kaka. The Revolution added on in the seventy-first minute on a Kelyn Rowe goal. In the seventy-fifth minute, Orlando City got on the board with a Cyle Larin goal, passed from Ramos. Carlos Rivas of Orlando City had a yellow card for a foul in the seventy-sixth minute. New England saw a yellow card go to Caldwell for time wasting in the eighty-fourth minute. He didn't waste enough, as Orlando City tied the game in the ninetieth minute with an Aurelien Collin goal, set up by Luke Boden. This made it 2-2, the final, with the man of the match being Collin for his equalizer.

Out west, Friday's other game has the Colorado Rapids welcoming the San Jose Earthquakes. David Bingham and Clint Irwin man the nets. San Jose started in the nineteenth minute on a Chris Wondolowski goal, passed from Sanna Nyassi. Colorado took a yellow card for a foul by Drew Moor in the twenty-sixth minute. In the fifty-second minute, the Rapids' Sam Cronin took a yellow card for his foul. The Earthquakes saw Bingham get booked for time wasting a minute into stoppage time, but much like the last game, he didn't waste enough time. Colorado tied it two minutes later on a James Riley goal. This made it 1-1, the final, with the man of the match honors bestowed upon Riley for his late goal to salvage a point.

Saturday has six games, the first of which with the Chicago Fire bringing in Real Salt Lake. Nick Rimando and Sean Johnson are in the six-yard boxes. Salt Lake led off in the thirteenth minute with an Alvaro Saborio goal, passed from Jordan Allen. Real's Luke Mulholland took a yellow card for his twenty-seventh minute foul. Chicago took a yellow card for a foul by Guly in the thirty-second minute. Salt Lake's Allen was booked in the fiftieth minute on a yellow card for a foul. Real added on with a Mulholland goal in the fifty-sixth minute, assisted by Devon Sandoval and Allen. The Fire's Matt Polster received a yellow card for his seventieth minute foul. Chicago got on the board in the eighty-eighth minute with a penalty kick goal by Jeff Larentowicz. Real still took the game 2-1, and Allen was the man of the match with a pair of assists on the goals he did great work to create.

Up in Montreal, the Impact host the Portland Timbers. Adam Larsen Kwarasey and Evan Bush receive the starting nods. Portland began in the sixty-fourth minute with a Nat Borchers goal. The Timbers added on in the seventieth minute with a Diego Valeri goal, passed from Rodney Wallace. Montreal got on the board with a seventy-first minute goal by Dominic Oduro. The Impact took a yellow card for Ignacio Piatti's dissent in the seventy-eighth minute. The final stood at 2-1 for Portland, and Valeri's winner was good enough for the man of the match award.

Back stateside, DC United welcome Sporting Kansas City. Tim Melia and Bill Hamid are set to start in goal. Kansas City took a yellow card for a Roger Espinoza foul in the ninth minute. DC took a yellow card in the forty-first minute for a Davy Arnaud foul. United began in the forty-second minute on a Jairo Arrieta goal, passed from Chris Pontius and Perry Kitchen. Sporting tied it on a forty-fifth minute goal by Dominic Dwyer, set up by Espinoza. In the eighty-first minute, Kansas City's backup keeper Luis Marin received a yellow card while on the bench for interfering with the ball on the sideline. The final stayed at 1-1, and Hamid was the man of the match for four saves on five shots to preserve a draw against a bold road team.

Way out west, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC bring in the Philadelphia Union. Brian Sylvestre is mismatched with David Ousted in goal. Vancouver struck first in the thirty-second minute with a Pedro Morales goal, fueled by Cristian Techera. The Whitecaps added on with an Octavio Rivero goal in the forty-fourth minute. Philadelphia went down to ten men in the seventy-eighth minute with a straight red card going to Richie Marquez for his foul. Vancouver's Techera got a yellow card in the eightieth minute for encroachment. The Whitecaps extended the lead on a Darren Mattocks goal in the eighty-first minute, coming off of Morales. The final stood at 3-0, and the man of the match was Morales.

Back east, the Columbus Crew SC host the Seattle Sounders FC. Stefan Frei and Steve Clark are the gloved men. Columbus was first to score in the tenth minute with a Kei Kamara goal, passed from Waylon Francis. Seattle tied it on a Clint Dempsey goal in the twenty-fourth minute, courtesy of Marco Pappa. The Crew's Emanuel Pogatetz had a yellow card for his forty-fourth minute foul. Columbus took the lead back in the forty-ninth minute on a Federico Higuain goal, assisted by Ethan Finlay. The Crew added on with a fifty-eighth minute Kamara goal, made possible by Hector Jimenez and Justin Meram. The Sounders got one back in the seventy-fifth minute on a Dempsey goal. In the seventy-fifth minute, Seattle's Gonzalo Pineda and Columbus' Kamara received yellow cards for an argument. In stoppage time, the Crew's Aaron Schoenfeld took a yellow card for a foul. The final held at 3-2 Columbus, and Kamara was the man of the match with his brace and game-winner.

Closing out Saturday, FC Dallas welcome the Los Angeles Galaxy. Jaime Penedo and Dan Kennedy are between the posts. Dallas took a yellow card for a thirty-third minute Moises Hernandez foul. Los Angeles saw a yellow card for a forty-first minute foul by Dan Gargan. The Galaxy got going in the fifty-ninth minute on a Gyasi Zardes goal, passed from Stefan Ishizaki. Los Angeles' Ishizaki was booked in the sixty-fifth minute for a foul. Dallas tied it in the seventy-seventh minute on a Blas Perez goal, set up by Mauro Diaz. Dallas took the lead in the eighty-sixth minute as Tesho Akindele scored, thanks to Diaz. This made it 2-1, the final, and Diaz's two assists made him the man of the match.

On Sunday, Toronto FC brings in the Houston Dynamo. Tyler Deric and Chris Konopka are the goalies. Toronto's Benoit Cheyrou took a yellow card for his twelfth minute foul. Houston got going in the forty-fourth minute with an Oscar Garcia goal. The Dynamo added on in the fifty-third on a Willd Bruin goal, set up by Giles Barnes. Toronto got on the board in the seventy-seventh minute on a Jozy Altidore goal, passed from Jonathan Osorio. In stoppage time, Houston's Leonel Miranda took a yellow card for time wasting. The Dynamo won 2-1, and Bruin was the man of the match for his winner.

Finally, the first ever New York derby occurred with the New York Red Bulls hosting New York City FC. Josh Saunders and Luis Robles draw the starts in goal. The Red Bulls began in the fourth minute on a Bradley Wright-Phillips goal, via Lloyd Sam. The Red Bulls went down to ten men when Matt Miazga took yellow cards in the eighteenth and thirty-sixth minute, earning himself an ejection. The Red Bulls added on with a Wright-Phillips goal in the fifty-second minute, passed from Sacha Kljestan and Sam. In the fifty-ninth minute, the Red Bulls' Kemar Lawrence received a yellow card for a foul. NYCFC got on the board in the seventy-sixth minute with a Patrick Mullins goal, coming off of RJ Allen and Kwadwo Poku. NYCFC took three straight yellow cards late, given to Allen in the eighty-second minute, Poku in the eighty-seventh minute, and Mehdi Ballouchy in the eighty-eighth minute, all for fouls. The Red Bulls took a yellow card on a Kljestan foul in the ninetieth minute. The final stood at 2-1, and the man of the match was Wright-Phillips with a brace.

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Saturday, May 9, 2015

Montreal Canadiens VS. Tampa Bay Lightning, game 5

The only game of the day sees the Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Carey Price guard the cages. Montreal was first to score in the first period on a Devante Smith-Pelly goal, guided in by Torrey Mitchell and Jeff Petry. Tampa Bay tied it on a Steven Stamkos goal, his second of the postseason, courtesy of Anton Stralman and Alex Killorn. The Canadiens retook the lead as P.A. Parenteau scored, with the help of P.K. Subban. The final stood at 2-1, with the three stars given to Parenteau, Price (24 for 25 in saves), and Smith-Pelly. The series will return to Tampa Bay with the Lightning holding onto a 3-2 lead.

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Friday, May 8, 2015

NHL Division Finals Day 9

Two games tonight, beginning in...

New York, as the Rangers host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Henrik Lundqvist tend the twines. Washington got going in the third period on a Curtis Glencross goal, fueled by Matt Niskanen and Tom Wilson. New York tied it on a Chris Kreider goal, his third of the postseason, assisted by Derek Stepan and Keith Yandle. The Rangers won 2-1 in overtime with a Ryan McDonagh goal, his second of the playoffs, made possible by Stepan and Jesper Fast. The three stars went to Lundqvist (28 for 29 in saves), Stepan, and Holtby (41 for 43 in saves). The Capitals head home with a 3-2 series lead.

In Calgary, the Flames host the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen and Karri Ramo are in the blue paint. Anaheim started in the first period with a Jakob Siflverberg power play goal, his third of the postseason, powered by Ryan Kesler and Francois Beauchemin. Calgary tied it on a Sean Monahan goal, his third of the playoffs, guided in by Johnny Gaudreau and Kris Russell. The Flames took the lead on an unassisted Micheal Ferland goal, his third of the postseason. The Ducks retied it in the second period with an Andrew Cogliano goal, his second of the playoffs, with a lone assist by Kyle Palmieri. Anaheim took the lead in the third period on a Matt Beleskey goal, his fourth of the postseason, coming on the power play from Silfverberg and Beauchemin. The Ducks iced it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Patrick Maroon, his fourth of the playoffs, going in unassisted. The three stars went to Silfverberg, Beauchemin, and Beleskey. The Ducks look to advance at home, holding a 3-1 series lead currently.

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Thursday, May 7, 2015

NHL Division Finals, Day 8

Two teams can move on tonight. We begin with...

The Tampa Bay Lightning welcoming the Montreal Canadiens, whom they hope to sweep. Carey Price and Ben Bishop guard the cages. Montreal was first to score in the first period on an Andrei Markov goal, assisted by P.K. Subban and Max Pacioretty. The Canadiens added on with a Pacioretty shorthanded goal, his fourth of the postseason, set up by Tom Gilbert. Montreal extended the lead as David Desharnais scored in the second period, with the help of Dale Weise and Alex Galchenyuk. Andrei Vasilevskiy relieved Bishop in goal. The Canadiens padded the lead on a Jeff Petry power play goal, his second of the playoffs, powered by Galchenyuk and Subban. Montreal continued with a Brendan Gallagher goal, his third of the postseason, guided in by Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec. Tampa Bay tied it on a Nikita Kucherov power play goal, his fourth of the playoffs, fueled by Ondrej Palat and Anton Stralman. The Lightning got one back in the third period with a Palat power play goal, his second of the postseason, pushed through by Tyler Johnson and Steven Stamkos. The Canadiens wrapped it up at 6-2 on a Brandon Prust goal, made possible by Lars Eller and P.A. Parenteau. The three stars were handed to Pacioretty, Palat and Galchenyuk, while Subban gets an honorable mention. The series returns to Montreal with the Lightning leading 3-1.

The other game has the Minnesota Wild bringing in the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Devan Dubnyk are the alliterative goalies. Chicago struck first in the first period on a Brent Seabrook goal, his third of the postseason, passed from Bryan Bickell and Johnny Oduya. The Blackhawks added on in the second period with an Andrew Shaw power play goal, powered by Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Minnesota got on the board with an Erik Haula goal, coming off of Matt Cooke and Matt Dumba. Chicago replied with a Kane goal in the third period, his seventh of the playoffs, assisted by Bickell and Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Blackhawks extended the lead with a shorthanded empty net goal by Marian Hossa, set up by Toews. The Wild got one back with a Jared Spurgeon power play goal, his second of the postseason, made possible by Mikko Koivu and Marco Scandella. Minnesota pulled closer on a Nino Niederreiter goal, his fourth of the playoffs, via Dumba and Jason Pominville. This was it for the furious comeback, as the Blackhawks weathered the rest of the storm and won 4-3. The three stars went to Kane, Bickell, and Toews, while Dumba gets an honorable mention. The Blackhawks await a dance partner for the Western Conference Final and they will have time to rest up in advance of the next series.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2015

MLS Midweek 5/5 and 5/6 2015

Two games in the middle of the week this week. We begin on...

Tuesday, as the Houston Dynamo host the San Jose Earthquakes. David Bingham and Tyler Deric are the overrated goalies. Houston's Ricardo Clark took a yellow card for a twenty-sixth minute foul. San Jose opened in the fifty-fourth minute with an Adam Jahn goal, set up by Matias Perez Garcia. The Earthquakes saw a yellow card for a Jordan Stewart foul in the seventy-fifth minute. The Dynamo's Kofi Sarkodie received a yellow card for his foul in the seventy-ninth minute. The final stood at 1-0 for San Jose, and Jahn was the man of the match for his game-winner.

On Wednesday, Real Salt Lake hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy. Jaime Penedo and Nick Rimando are set to start in goal. Los Angeles had a yellow card given to Omar Gonzalez in the forty-second minute for a foul. Salt Lake took a yellow card for a Jamison Olave foul in the eighty-ninth minute. The final stood at 0-0, and the man of the match was the road goalie Penedo for a six-save clean sheet.

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NHL Division Finals, Day 7

Two games tonight, starting in...

Tampa Bay, as the Lightning host the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Ben Bishop guard the cages. Tampa Bay led off in the first period with an Alex Killorn goal, his third of the postseason, passed from Steven Stamkos. Montreal tied it in the third period on a Brendan Gallagher goal, his second of the playoffs, courtesy of Tom Gilbert and Greg Pateryn. The Lightning won it with about a second left in regulation on a Tyler Johnson goal, his eighth of the postseason, assisted by Victor Hedman and Ondrej Palat. The final was 2-1, and the three stars were Johnson, Bishop (30 for 31 in saves), and Killorn. Tampa Bay holds a 3-0 series lead, with the chance to sweep tomorrow.

Up in DC, the Washington Capitals host the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Braden Holtby tend the twines. New York got going in the second period with a Derick Brassard goal, his fifth of the playoffs, coming off of Martin St. Louis and Rick Nash. Washington tied it on an Andre Burakovsky goal, made possible by Jay Beagle and Tim Gleason. The Capitals took the lead in the third period with another Burakovsky goal, his second of the game, going in unassisted. This was good for a 2-1 win, with the three stars handed to Burakovsky, Holtby (28 for 29 in saves), and Lundqvist (28 for 30 in saves). The Capitals travel with a 3-1 series lead, pushing the Rangers to the brink.

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Tuesday, May 5, 2015

NHL Division Final, Day 6

Two games to go with today, beginning in...

Minnesota, as the Wild welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Devan Dubnyk man the creases. Chicago started in the first period with a Patrick Kane power play goal, his sixth of the postseason, powered by Andrew Shaw and Patrick Sharp. This was all they needed for a 1-0 win, with the three stars given to Crawford (30 save shutout), Kane, and Dubnyk (21 for 22 in saves). The Blackhawks have pushed the Wild to the brink with a 3-0 series lead.

Up in Calgary, the Flames bring in the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen and Karri Ramo are between the pipes. Calgary opened in the first period with a Brandon Bollig goal, his second of the postseason, guided in by Mason Raymond and Markus Granlund. Anaheim tied it on a Patrick Maroon goal, his third of the playoffs, set up by Ryan Getzlaf and Sami Vatanen. The Ducks took the lead as Corey Perry scored his sixth of the postseason, thanks to Simon Despres and Getzlaf. The Flames retied it in the second period on a Joe Colborne shorthanded and unassisted goal. Anaheim retook the lead with a Matt Beleskey goal, his third of the playoffs, assisted by Ryan Kesler and Despres. Calgary tied it on a Johnny Gaudreau power play goal in the third period, his third of the postseason, powered by Kris Russell. The Flames won 4-3 with a Mikael Backlund goal in overtime, coming off of Dennis Wideman and T.J. Brodie. The three stars went to Getzlaf, Despres, and Backlund. The Ducks still have a 2-1 series lead.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.