Wednesday, November 11, 2015

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 35

Twelve games in a busy day today. We begin with...

The New Jersey Devils hosting the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Cory Schneider are the young goalies. St. Louis got going in the second period on a Martin Havlat goal, fueled by Scott Gomez and Troy Brouwer. The Blues added on in the third period with a Magnus Paajarvi goal, via Dmitrij Jaskin and Alex Pietrangelo. This made it 2-0, the final, with the three stars going to Allen (24 save shutout), Havlat, and Paajarvi.

Over in New York, the Rangers welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Henrik Lundqvist are the veteran goalies. New York was first to score in the first period on a Jesper Fast goal, his third of the season, fueled by Emerson Etem and Keith Yandle. The Rangers added on with a Rick Nash goal, his second of the year, via Mats Zuccarello and Dan Girardi. New York extended the lead on a third period Ryan McDonagh goal, with a lone assist from Nash. This produced the 3-0 final, with the three stars given to Nash, Lundqvist (33 save shutout), and Fast.

West a bit to Philadelphia, with the Flyers bringing in the Colorado Avalanche. Reto Berra and Michal Neuvirth are the backups in goal. Colorado led off in the first period on a Jarome Iginla goal, his seventh of the season, assisted by Nick Holden and Carl Soderberg. The Avalanche added on in the second period on a Matt Duchene goal, his fifth of the year, guided in by Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. Colorado extended the lead as Duchene scored his second of the game and sixth of the season, fueled by Holden and Tyson Barrie. The Avalanche padded the lead with a third period power play goal by Cody McLeod, his third of the year, powered by Duchene and Soderberg. The final held at 4-0, with the three stars going to Duchene, Berra (25 save shutout), and Holden, while Soderberg gets an honorable mention.

Continuing to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets host the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and Sergei Bobrovsky draw the starts in goal. Columbus began in the first period on a Boone Jenner power play goal, his eighth of the season, powered by Scott Hartnell and Ryan Johansen. Vancouver tied it on a Jannik Hansen goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The Canucks took the lead on a Daniel Sedin goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone helper by Hansen. The Blue Jackets retied it with a Jack Johnson power play goal, his second of the year, coming off of Jenner and Johansen. Columbus pulled ahead in the third period on a shorthanded Cam Atkinson goal, his fourth of the season, set up by David Savard. Vancouver tied it on a Henrik Sedin goal, his fourth of the year, with assists provided by Hansen and Daniel Sedin. The Canucks took the lead again on a Brandon Sutter goal, his fourth of the season, made possible by Hansen, who got a sock trick, and Matt Bartkowski. Vancouver iced it at 5-3 on a Henrik Sedin empty net goal, his second of the game and fifth of the year, passed from Ben Hutton and Daniel Sedin. The three stars were handed to Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, and Hansen, while Jenner and Johansen get the honorable mentions.

Up in Detroit, the Red Wings welcome the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Petr Mrazek protect the nets. Detroit dented the scoreboard in the third period on an unassisted goal by Andreas Athanasiou. This was it for the scoring, with the three stars going to Mrazek (38 save shutout), Athanasiou, and Holtby (26 for 27 in saves).

South to Florida, where the Panthers bring in the Calgary Flames. Karri Ramo and Roberto Luongo are in the blue paint. Florida struck first in the first period on a Vincent Trocheck power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Jussi Jokinen and Brian Campbell. Calgary tied it on a David Jones goal, his fourth of the year, with a lone assist by Joe Colborne. The Panthers retook the lead on a Reilly Smith goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Jokinen and Alex Petrovic. Florida added on in the second period on an Aaron Ekblad goal, his second of the year, guided in by Jaromir Jagr and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Flames answered with a Jones goal, his second of the game and fifth of the season, helped along by Matt Stajan and Deryk Engelland. Calgary tied it as Sean Monahan scored his fourth of the year, a power play goal made possible by Jiri Hudler and T.J. Brodie. The Panthers regained the lead in the third period on an unassisted Jagr goal, his seventh of the campaign. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars handed to Jagr, Jones, and Jokinen.

Staying in the state, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Buffalo Sabres. Chad Johnson and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the little-known goalies. Buffalo opened in the first period on a Jack Eichel goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Cody Franson on the power play. Tampa Bay tied it on a Steven Stamkos power play goal, his eighth of the year, powered by Nikita Kucherov. The Sabres took the lead back on a Franson goal, via Eichel and Tyler Ennis. Buffalo added on with a Marcus Foligno goal in the third period, courtesy of David Legwand and Nicolas Deslauriers. The Sabres iced it at 4-1 with a Rasmus Ristolainen empty net goal, his fourth of the campaign, set up by the goalie Johnosn. The three stars went to Eichel, Franson, and Johnson (30 for 31 in saves).

Westward to Dallas, where the Stars welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs. James Reimer and Antti Niemi are the masked men. Toronto started in the first period on a Peter Holland goal, his second of the season, passed from Jake Gardiner and Tyler Bozak on the power play. Dallas tied it with a Patrick Sharp goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, fueled by Jason Demers and Johnny Oduya. The Stars took the lead on a Vernon Fiddler goal in the third period, his second of the season, with a lone assist by Demers. The Maple Leafs retied it on a P.A. Parenteau goal, his third of the year, coming off of Morgan Rielly and Shawn Matthias. Toronto took the lead on a Gardiner goal, his second of the campaign, helped along by James van Riemsdyk and Leo Komarov. This made it 3-2, the eventual final, with the three stars awarded to Gardiner, Reimer (36 for 38 in saves), and Demers.

Backtracking to Nashville, with the Predators bringing in the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Pekka Rinne have the green light to play goal. Ottawa struck first in the first period on a Milan Michalek power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Bobby Ryan and Erik Karlsson. The Senators added on with a Zack Smith goal, his third of the year, via Jared Cowen and Chris Neil. Nashville goal on the board with a Colton Sissons goal, with a lone assist by Ryan Ellis. Ottawa replied with a Smith goal, his second of the game and fourth of the season, going in shorthanded and unassisted. The Predators answered in the second period on a Shea Weber power play goal, his fourth of the year, assisted by James Neal and Filip Forsberg. Nashville tied it with an unassisted Roman Josi goal, his fourth of the season. The Predators took the lead as Austin Watson scored his second of the year, thanks to Seth Jones and Gabriel Bourque. The Senators retied it on a Karlsson goal, coming off of Mika Zibanejad and Ryan. Ottawa edged ahead on a Curtis Lazar power play goal, his second of the season, fueled by Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone. Nashville pulled even with a Mattias Ekholm goal in the third period, his second of the year, passed from Ellis and Watson. The Predators gained the lead with a Barret Jackman goal, guided in by Jones and Mike Ribeiro. Nashville won 7-5 with a Bourque goal, helped along by Watson and Ekholm. The three stars landed with Watson, Smith, and Ekholm, while Bourque, Karlsson, Ryan, Ellis, and Jones get the honorable mentions.

Up in Minnesota, the Wild host the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec and Devan Dubnyk are the inconsistent goalies. Minnesota was first to score in the first period on a Nino Niederreiter goal, his fifth of the season, assisted by Mikko Koivu and Jason Zucker. Winnipeg tied it on a Bryan Little goal, his seventh of the year, passed from Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd. The Wild took the lead back in the second period on a Thomas Vanek goal, his fifth of the season, courtesy of Christian Folin and Nate Prosser. Minnesota added on with an Erik Haula shorthanded goal, his second of the year, set up by Jared Spurgeon and Charlie Coyle. The Wild extended the lead as Vanek scored his second of the game and sixth of the season, thanks to Mikael Granlund. Pavelec was pulled for Michael Hutchinson. Minnesota padded the lead on a Chris Porter goal, made possible by Spurgeon and Ryan Suter. The Jets pulled back in the third period on a Blake Wheeler power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Little and Ladd. Winnipeg chipped closer on a Little goal, his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, helped along by Wheeler and Toby Enstrom. They got no closer, losing 5-3, with the three stars belonging to Vanek, Little, and Wheeler, while Ladd and Spurgeon get the honorable mentions.

Out in Los Angeles, the Kings welcome the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Jonathan Quick are between the pipes. Los Angeles led off in the first period on a Dustin Brown goal, coming off of Drew Doughty and Tanner Pearson. Arizona tied it on a Martin Hanzal goal, going in unassisted. The Kings took the lead back in the second period on a Tyler Toffoli power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Jamie McBain and Alec Martinez. The Coyotes retied it with Hanzal's second of the game, assisted by Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Tobias Rieder. Arizona took the lead in the third period on a Brad Richardson goal, his second of the year, guided in by Jordan Martinook and Shane Doan. The final held at 3-2, with the three stars going to Hanzal, Richardson, and Smith (33 for 35 in saves).

Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the New York Islanders. Thomas Greiss and Martin Jones are the middling goalies. New York began in the first period on a John Tavares goal, his sixth of the season, fueled by Brock Nelson and Nick Leddy. The Islanders added on with a Mikhail Grabovski goal, his third of the year, via Nikolay Kulemin and Steve Bernier. Alex Stalock relieved Jones at this time. San Jose got on the board in the second period with a Joel Ward goal, his eighth of the campaign, coming off of Tomas Hertl and Justin Braun. New York replied in the third period on a Johnny Boychuk goal, his third of the season, assisted by Calvin de Haan and Grabovski. The Sharks shot back on a Brent Burns goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Hertl and Ward. The Islanders capped it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Tavares, his second of the game and seventh of the campaign, set up by Nelson and Travis Hamonic. The three stars went to Grabovski, Tavares, and Ward, while Hertl and Nelson get the honorable mentions.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Marleau on the Block?

Here's one of those instances where it just doesn't seem right to say it. Patrick Marleau is reportedly on the trading block, according to Kevin Kurz at Comcast Sports Network. Marleau would accept a trade to the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and New York Rangers. Let's take a look at where he'd fit best on those teams, assuming a deal comes together.

While it's unlikely Marleau lands with the Ducks, Marleau would be a huge addition to their top 6. I don't see Marleau playing on the top line with Getzlaf and Perry, as Carl Hagelin's speed element seems like a better fit there. Instead, Marleau could be opposite Jakob Silfverberg, a good player in his own right. Centering the line is the two-way pest extraordinaire Ryan Kesler. This primarily allows Patrick Maroon, a third-line grinder with occasional first-line forays, to stay in a role he's better suited for. Again, this is an unlikely trade anyway, being in division and all.

Likewise, Marleau to the Kings doesn't seem all that likely either. I'm not here to rain on parades though, so let's give it a look through. The Kings seem to have a more logical spot for Marleau than the Ducks do. The first line could use a better left wing than Milan Lucic (don't tell him that; he might pummel me), and Marleau fits the bill perfectly. Sure, Gaborik and Marleau on the wings isn't exactly a 2015 gold mine, but Kopitar has enough talent to carry them, even without much speed left for the wingers. The big benefit of this move would be to reunite the That 70s Line of Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli, and Tanner Pearson, while putting Lucic on the third line. The Kings have no obligation to Lucic, as he's a mere season-long rental.

The most likely landing spot for Marleau if he is on the move is Broadway. The New York Rangers, however, are the team that needs him the least. Marleau, even at this advanced age, is a second-line player at worst. He's not bumping Chris Kreider off of any lines, and the only way he'd fit on the second line is if Rick Nash switched to right win, sending Kevin Hayes down the depth chart. The Rangers are leading their division right now. They show no signs of slowing down, with Lundqvist in goal and balance throughout the lineup for point production. Oscar Lindberg is a revelation this season so far. Disrupting the chemistry is the last thing the Rangers need at this juncture.

If Marleau does go anywhere, he's going to command a roster player, a mid-range prospect, and a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick, at the minimum. He may be aging, but he's still a top talent. In the end, I don't imagine seeing Marleau wearing anything but a Sharks sweater at the end of the season.

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2015/16 KHL Season - Day 71

The KHL is back in full force, with a whopping thirteen games today. We begin with...

Avangard Omsk hosting Jokerit Helsinki. Henrik Karlsson and Dominik Furch receive the starting nods. Helsinki was first to score in the first period on a Philip Larsen power play goal, with a lone assist by Brandon Kozun. This held up for a 1-0 win, with the three stars going to Karlsson (31 save shutout), Larsen, and Furch (20 for 21 in saves).

Down in Kazakhstan, Barys Astana welcomes Dinamo Riga. Joacim Eriksson and Jan Laco get the starts. Astana got going in the second period on a Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev goal, coming off of Konstantin Pushkaryov. Barys added on in the third period with a Nigel Dawes power play goal, with a lone helper by Dustin Boyd. Astana extended the lead as Boyd scored, thanks to Dawes and Brandon Bochenski. Barys padded the lead with a Konstantin Romanov goal, via Roman Starchenko. Astana continued with a Starchenko goal, fueled by Romanov and Martin St. Pierre. Riga got on the board with a Vitalijs Pavlovs goal, passed from Kristaps Sotnieks and Kaspars Saulietis. This only made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars being Dawes, Boyd, and Romanov, while Starchenko gets an honorable mention.

Back east, Sibir Novosibirsk brings in Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Vladislav Podyapolsky and Alexander Salak are in the creases. Novokuznetsk dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Viktor Drugov goal, guided in by Alexander Komaristy. Metallurg added on with a Grigory Glebov power play goal, with a lone assist by Cade Fairchild. Novokuznetsk extended the lead on a Ryan Stoa power play goal, helped along by Maxim Kazakov. Novosibirsk got on the board with a Calle Ridderwall power play goal, powered by Tomas Vincour and Vitaly Menshikov. Sibir pulled closer on a Menshikov goal, passed from Ivan Vereshchagin on the power play. Metallurg shot back on an Alexander Romanov goal, via Drugov and Vadim Mitryakov. Novosibirsk countered with an unassisted Alexei Kopeikin power play goal in the third period. Sibir tied it with a Viktor Bobrov goal, assisted by Maxim Shalunov. Novosibirsk took the lead on an Oleg Gubin goal, with a lone helper by Ridderwall. Sibir iced it at 6-4 with an unassisted empty net goal by Kopeikin, his second of the game. The three stars went to Kopeikin, Ridderwall, and Drugov.

West to Khanty-Mansiysk, where Yugra hosts Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Alexander Sudnitsin and Georgy Gelashvili draw the starts in goal. Khanty-Mansiysk struck first in the first period on a Grigory Zheldakov goal, fueled by Igor Bortnikov. Yugra added on with a Pavel Varfolomeyev goal, made possible by Evgeny Lapenkov and Andrei Antonov on the power play. Nizhnekamsk got on the board with an Evgeny Grigorenko goal in the second period, courtesy of Dan Sexton and Jeff Taffe. This stood for a 2-1 final, with the three stars handed to Gelashvili (18 for 19 in saves), Varfolomeyev, and Zheldakov.

Next up, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg welcomes Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vasily Demchenko and Jakub Kovar are the masked men. Chelyabinsk began in the first period on a shorthanded goal by Vyacheslav Osnovin, set up by Martin Ruzicka. Traktor added on with a power play goal by Anton Glinkin, powered by Filip Novak and Andrei Pervyshin. Igor Ustinsky took over for Kovar in goal. Yekaterinburg got on the board with a power play goal from Anatoly Golyshev in the second period, passed from Alexei Simakov. Avtomobilist tied it on an Alexander Pankov goal, via Artyom Gareyev. Yekaterinburg took the lead with a Golyshev goal, his second of the game, assisted by Yegor Zhuravlyov and Alexander Torchenyuk. Avtomobilist extended the lead as Torchenyuk scored, with the help of Simakov and Nikita Tryamkin. Yekaterinburg padded the lead in the third period on a Tryamkin goal, fueled by Torchenyuk and Golyshev. Avtomobilist went on to win 5-2, with the three stars awarded to Golyshev, Torchenyuk, and Tryamkin, while Simakov gets an honorable mention.

A little more west, Lada Togliatti brings Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasily Koshechkin and Edgars Masalskis occupy the creases. Togliatti opened in the first period on an Alexander Streltsov goal, passed from Stanislav Bocharov. Magnitogorsk tied it with a Sergei Mozyakin goal, coming off of Wojtek Wolski and Viktor Antipin. Metallurg took the lead on a Danis Zaripov goal, going in unassisted. Magnitogorsk added on in the second period with a Wolski goal, fueled by Mozyakin and Jan Kovar. Metallurg extended the lead as Oskar Osala scored, thanks to Zaripov and Tomas Filippi. Magnitogorsk padded the lead on a Sergei Tereshchenko goal, courtesy of Vladislav Kaletnik and Evgeny Timkin. Metallurg kept going with an unassisted goal by Bogdan Potekhin. Magnitogorsk finished it at 7-1 in the third period on a Wolski goal, via Mozyakin and Kovar. The three stars went to Wolski, Mozyakin, and Zaripov, while Kovar gets an honorable mention.

Continuing along, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod hosts Slovan Bratislava. Michael Garnett and Ilya Proskuryakov are in goal. Nizhny Novgorod led off in the first period on a Kaspars Daugavins power play goal, powered by Vladimir Galuzin. Torpedo added on with an Alexei Sopin power play goal, guided in by Daugavins and Dmitry Semin. Nizhny Novgorod extended the lead as Sergei Kostitsyn scored, with a lone assist by Carter Ashton. Bratislava got on the board in the second period on a Marek Viedensky goal, courtesy of Milan Bartovic and Tomas Starosta. Torpedo replied with a Daugavins goal, his second of the game, made possible by Galuzin and Artyom Alyayev. Nizhny Novgorod padded the lead with an Ashton goal, coming off of Kostitsyn and Maxim Osipov. Slovan pulled back in the third period on a Rok Ticar goal, via Ziga Jeglic and Cam Barker. Bratislava edged closer with a Barker goal, assisted by Vaclav Nedorost and Lukas Kaspar on the power play. This only made it 5-3, the final, with the three stars going to Daugavins, Kostitsyn, and Ashton, while Galuzin and Barker get the honorable mentions.

Up to Yaroslavl, where Lokomotiv welcomes Severstal Cherepovets. Jakub Stepanek and Alexei Murygin guard the cages. Yaroslav drew first blood in the second period on an unassisted goal by Andrei Loktionov. Cherepovets tied it on a Pavel Buchnevich in the third period, assisted by Dmitry Kagarlitsky and Ondrej Nemec on the power play. The tie went to a shootout, where Yury Trubachyov and Buchnevich tallied to lift Severstal to a 2-1 win. The three stars went to Stepanek (25 for 26 in saves, replaced by Sergei Magarilov in the shootout), Buchnevich, and Murygin (30 for 31 in saves).

Back to Kazan, where Ak Bars brings in Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Niklas Svedberg and Jussi Rynnas are between the pipes. Ufa started in the first period on a Sami Lepisto goal, courtesy of Linus Omark and Alexander Loginov. Kazan tied it on an Artyom Lukoyanov power play goal, powered by Andrei Chibisov and Konstantin Korneyev. Salavat Yulaev took the lead back on a second period Dmitry Makarov goal, passed from Omark. Ak Bars retied it on a Mikhail Varnakov goal, fueled by Marek Daloga and Lukoyanov. Kazan took the lead on a Mattias Sjogren goal, with a lone assist by Oscar Moller. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Lukoyanov, Sjogren, and Omark.

Down in Sochi, the Leopards host CSKA Moscow. Stanislav Galimov and Konstantin Barulin tend the twines. Sochi struck first in the first period on an Igor Ignatushkin goal, guided in by Ilya Krikunov and Andrei Kostitsyn. The Leopards added on with an Evgeny Skachkov goal, via Janne Jalasvaara and Ben Maxwell. Moscow got on the board in the second period as Dmitry Kugryshev scored a power play goal, powered by Alexander Radulov. CSKA tied it on a Jan Mursak goal in the third period, with a lone helper by Igor Ozhiganov. Moscow took the lead with an unassisted goal by Ivan Telegin. CSKA iced it at 4-2 with a Mursak empty net goal, going in unassisted. The three stars were Mursak, Telegin, and Kugryshev.

Out in Belarus, Dinamo Minsk welcomes Medvescak Zagreb. Danny Taylor and Kevin Lalande are the North American goalies. Zagreb was first to score in the first period on a Patrick Bjorkstrand goal, assisted by Tomas Mertl and Shaone Morrisonn. Medvescak added on with a second period goal by Stefano Giliati, coming off of Mertl and Mark Katic. Minsk got on the board with an Alexei Kalyuzhny power play goal, fueled by Paul Szczechura and Alexander Materukhin. Zagreb responded in the third period on a Mikko Kousa power play goal, powered by Mertl, who got a sock trick, and Bjorkstrand. Medvescak finished it at 4-1 on a Mertl goal, helped along by Edwin Hedberg. The three stars were handed to Mertl, Bjorkstrand, and Taylor (24 for 25 in saves).

Back in Russia, Spartak Moscow brings in Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Evgeny Ivannikov are in the blue paint. Moscow got going in the second period on a Konstantin Glazachev goal, assisted by Alexander Mereskin and Yaroslav Dyblenko. Spartak added on with a Maxim Potapov goal, fueled by Evgeny Bodrov and Dmitry Korobov. Podolsk got on the board in the third period as Vyacheslav Solodukhin scored, thanks to Anton Korolyov. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Ivannikov (25 for 26 in saves), Potapov, and Glazachev.

Finally, SKA St. Petersburg hosts Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Yeryomenko and Mikko Koskinen protect the nets. St. Petersburg drew first blood in the first period on an Ilya Kablukov goal, passed from Evgeny Ketov and Dmitry Yudin. Moscow tied it on a Martins Karsums goal, via Alexei Tsvetkov and Juuso Hietanen. Dynamo took the lead on a Dmitry Vishnevsky power play goal, powered by Ilya Shipov and Ansel Galimov. SKA tied it in the second period with a Nikita Gusev goal, coming off of Vyacheslav Voynov and Kablukov. St. Petersburg pulled ahead in the third period with an Anton Burdasov goal, assisted by Gusev and Kablukov. This made it 3-2, with the three stars going to Kablukov, Gusev, and Burdasov.

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Monday, November 9, 2015

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 34

Just one game tonight, with the Anaheim Ducks hosting the Arizona Coyotes. Anders Lindback and Frederik Andersen are in goal. Anaheim led off with a Chris Stewart power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Hampus Lindholm and Ryan Kesler. The Ducks added on with a Kesler goal, via Sami Vatanen and Clayton Stoner. Arizona got on the board with an Anthony Duclair power play goal in the second period, his sixth of the year, coming off of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Martin Hanzal. The Coyotes tied it with a Max Domi goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Dustin Jeffrey and Mikkel Boedker. Arizona took the lead on Domi's second of the game and seventh of the year, going in unassisted. Anaheim retied it on a Vatanen goal in the third period, his third of the season, with a lone assist by Andrew Cogliano. The Coyotes won in overtime on an unassisted Boedker goal, his fifth of the year. The three stars went to Domi, Boedker, and Vatanen.

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A Word From the "Editor"

As of today, November 9, 2015, I am beginning a transition for this blog. For fans of the old format, do not have fear. I will still provide the same daily score updates for all of the regular leagues I cover. I have invested far too much time into those to just let them go without a proper send-off. Instead, I will be expanding my content to include multiple opinion pieces a week. These will take a primarily American-centric slant, as my exposure and knowledge of the NHL and MLS far outpaces all I've learned in the last few years about the KHL and Barclays Premier League.

With that, I think it's fair to let the readers know about my biases a bit more. In the NHL, I'm an unabashed Flames fan enchanted by Jarome Iginla's Stanley Cup Final fight and the constant underdog status my favored Flames have to their more decorated (and longer-suffering) counterparts in Northern Alberta, the Oilers. For MLS, my Seattle heritage leads me to be a Sounders fan, eternal blue and forever green. I haven't quite been there since the start, but I still carry the pain of watching the Houston Dynamo eliminate the Sounders in their first foray into the playoffs in their inaugural year. For other leagues that may come up on here, I'm a split-loyalty fan in the NFL and MLB. I'm a Seahawks fan-critic and a Patriots fan-defender in the NFL. For MLB, I'm a Red Sox and Giants supporter, although not as avidly as I used to. I may begin to pick up coverage for the NWSL in their upcoming 2016 season, and I'm a pure Seattle Reign FC fan fresh off the heartache of losing to FC Kansas City in October.

While it's never totally possible to remove all biases, I will try to separate fandom and opinion as much as possible. I love those teams specifically, but I love the leagues they are in as a whole, with the rivalries and pointed banter that comes with being a fan. What you, the reader, can expect going forward is personal opinion on current topics. Sometimes I'll back it up with facts, and sometimes I'll just be letting off steam in a hot take. I do ask for a bit of patience as I find my niche and my voice. The optimistic cynic (is that even a thing?) in me believes that this transition may eventually lead to this blog's demise. If that happens, so be it. I've appreciated the five years of support I've received, and I always will enjoy the people who take time to click and read for a bit. With that, welcome to the era of Outsider Sports.

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Sunday, November 8, 2015

MLS Conference Semifinals, Second Legs

The four games are return matches of last week's games, to complete the two-leg series for the Conference Semifinals. There will be no games next weekend, with the Conference Finals starting two weeks from today. First up...

The New York Red Bulls host DC United. Bill Hamid and Luis Robles are the gloved men. In the twenty-fifth minute, Chris Rolfe of DC had a yellow card for a foul. United took a yellow card for a Perry Kitchen foul in the sixty-ninth minute. New York saw a yellow card go to Sacha Kljestan in the seventy-fourth minute for his foul. The Red Bulls got going with a stoppage time goal by Bradley Wright-Phillips, made possible by Gonzalo Veron. This made it a 1-0 game, with the man of the match being Robles for his two-save clean sheet. The Red Bulls are in the Eastern Conference Final on a 2-0 aggregate win.

Over in Columbus, the Crew SC welcomes the Montreal Impact. Evan Bush and Steve Clark are the goalies. Columbus led off in the fourth minute on a Kei Kamara goal, passed from Waylon Francis and Federico Higuain. The Crew had a yellow card go to Gaston Sauro in the thirtieth minute for a foul. Montreal tied it on a fortieth minute Dilly Duka goal, coming off of Victor Cabrera and Laurent Ciman. Columbus regained the lead in the seventy-eighth minute on an Ethan Finlay goal. The Impact's Marco Donadel took a yellow card for time wasting in the eighty-fifth minute. In stoppage time, Montreal had a yellow card for a Hassoun Camara foul. The Impact had a yellow card go to Nigel Reo-Coker in the 104th minute for his foul. The Crew took the lead back on a Kamara goal in the 111th minute, assisted by Cedrick. This stood for a 3-1 win in the game, with Kamara being the man of the match. Columbus advances on a 4-3 aggregate win in overtime.

Down in Texas, FC Dallas brings in the Seattle Sounders FC. Stefan Frei and Jesse Gonzalez guard the woodwork. Dallas took a yellow card in the forty-sixth minute for Mauro Diaz's encroachment. Seattle saw Erik Friberg take a yellow card for his seventieth minute foul. Blas Perez of Dallas had a yellow card for his eighty-third minute foul. Dallas dented the scoreboard in the eighty-fourth minute on a Tesho Akindele goal, via Je-Vaughn Watson. The Sounders retied it on a Chad Marshall goal in the ninetieth minute, set up by Marco Pappa. In stoppage time, Dallas retied it on a Walker Zimmerman goal, coming off of Perez. In the ninety-fifth minute, Pappa of Seattle took a yellow card for his foul. In the 111th minute, Andreas Ivanschitz of the Sounders received a yellow card for a foul. The aggregate tie went to a shootout, where Mauro Diaz, Ryan Hollingshead, Akindele, and Zimmerman scored to top Clint Dempsey and Andy Rose tallies, giving Dallas the 4-3 aggregate win, 4-2 in the shootout. Zimmerman was named man of the match for doing everything that mattered.

Finally, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC hosts the Portland Timbers. Adam Larsen Kwarasey and David Ousted are in goal. Portland began in the thirty-first minute on a Fanendo Adi goal, guided in by Diego Valeri and Rodney Wallace. Vancouver had a yellow card for an Octavio Rivero foul in the fifty-fifth minute. The Timbers took yellow cards for Wallace's persistent infringement in the sixtieth minute and a Valeri foul in the sixty-second minute. The Whitecaps saw Steven Beitashour take a yellow card for his seventy-second minute foul. Portland iced it at 2-0 with a stoppage time goal by Diego Chara, set up by Adi. The man of the match was Adi for his goal and assist, with Portland advancing to face Dallas on the 2-0 aggregate win.

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2015-16 NHL Season - Day 33

Four games on for today, beginning with...

The Detroit Red Wings hosting the Dallas Stars. Jimmy Howard and Kari Lehtonen are the veteran goalies. Dallas struck first in the first period on a Patrick Sharp power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by John Klingberg and Tyler Seguin. The Stars added on with a Valeri Nichushkin goal, via Jordie Benn and Jyrki Jokipakka. Detroit got on the board with a Gustav Nyquist goal, his sixth of the year, coming on the power play from Niklas Kronwall and Mike Green. Dallas replied with a Seguin empty net goal, his ninth of the season, set up by Sharp. The Stars iced it at 4-1 with a shorthanded empty net goal by Cody Eakin, his fifth of the year, with a lone helper by Jamie Benn. The three stars were Lehtonen (21 for 22 in saves), Sharp, and Seguin.

Northeast to New Jersey, where the Devils welcome the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller faces a lesser foe in Keith Kinkaid in goal. Vancouver was first to score in the first period on a Chris Higgins goal, his second of the season, made possible by Jared McCann. New Jersey tied it on a shorthanded goal by Adam Henrique, his seventh of the year, set up by Travis Zajac. The Devils took the lead with a Mike Cammalleri goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Lee Stempniak and Henrique. New Jersey added on with a Sergey Kalinin goal, courtesy of Kyle Palmieri and Adam Larsson in the second period. The Canucks pulled back with an Alexander Edler goal, his third of the year, assisted by Jake Virtanen and Sven Baertschi. Vancouver tied it with a Baertschi goal, guided in by Ben Hutton and Bo Horvat. The Devils won 4-3 with an overtime power play goal by Palmieri, his fifth of the campaign, with assists provided by Cammalleri and Stempniak. The three stars belonged to Palmieri, Henrique, and Cammalleri, while Stempniak and Baertschi get the honorable mentions.

Nearby, the New York Islanders bring in the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak tend the twines. Boston opened in the first period on a Ryan Spooner power play goal, his third of the season, powered by David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron. The Bruins added on in the second period on a Brad Marchand goal, his sixth of the year, via Jimmy Hayes and Bergeron. New York got on the board with a power play goal by Johnny Boychuk, his second of the season, fueled by Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Rask (36 for 37 in saves), Marchand, and Bergeron.

Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks host the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Corey Crawford are the solid goalies. Chicago started in the first period on an Artemi Panarin goal, his third of the season, assisted by Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks added on with another Panarin goal, his second of the game and fourth of the year, guided in by Kane and Brent Seabrook. Edmonton got on the board with a Jordan Eberle power play goal, powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Oscar Klefbom. Chicago answered on a Kane goal, his tenth of the season, made possible by Artem Anisimov and Panarin. The Oilers answered with an Andrej Sekera goal, with assists provided by Teddy Purcell and Darnell Nurse. The Blackhawks finished it at 4-2 with an Anisimov power play goal, his sixth of the year, helped along by Kane, who got a sock trick, and Hjalmarsson. The three stars were awarded to Panarin, Kane, and Anisimov.

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