Nine games across the two leagues again, with one in Russia as...
The Sochi Leopards host Vityaz Podolsk. Igor Saprykin and Konstantin Barulin are in goal. Podolsk opened in the first period on a Maxim Afinogenov goal, via Roman Horak and Pavel Lukin. Sochi tied it on a Denis Kazionov goal, assisted by Dmitry Kazionov and Ivan Glazkov. The Leopards took the lead on an Ilya Krikunov goal, fueled by Igor Ignatushkin. Sochi added on in the second period with an Andrei Kostitsyn goal, coming off of Renat Mamashev and Ignatushkin. Vityaz got one back on a Vyacheslav Solodukhin power play goal in the third period, powered by Lukin. Podolsk tied it as Igor Musatov scored, thanks to Viktor Drugov and Teemu Eronen. The Leopards pulled ahead on another Denis Kazionov goal, made possible by Dmitry Kazionov and Vadim Shchegolkov.Sochi extended the lead as Ignatushkin scored, with a lone assist by Krikunov. Vityaz got one back with a Dmitry Shitikov goal, passed from Alexei Makeyev and Yegor Voronkov. This only made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars being Ignatushkin, Denis Kazionov, and Krikunov, while Dmitry Kazionov and Lukin get the honorable mentions.
In the NHL, we have the New York Islanders welcoming their cross-town rivals, the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Jaroslav Halak tend the twines. The Rangers got going in the second period with a Marc Staal goal, his second of the season, fueled by Kevin Hayes and Chris Kreider. The Islanders tied it in the third period with a Brock Nelson goal, his eighteenth of the year, via Adam Pelech. The Islanders took the lead with a Nick Leddy power play goal, his second of the season, powered by John Tavares and Kyle Okposo. The Islanders won 3-1 with an unassisted Okposo empty net goal, his eleventh of the year. The three stars were Halak (34 for 35 in saves), Okposo, and Leddy.
Along to DC, where the Washington Capitals bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller and Braden Holtby draw the starts. Washington dented the scoreboard in the second period with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his fourteenth of the season, made possible by Dmitry Orlov. The Capitals added on with a Karl Alzner goal, his third of the year, via Andre Burakovsky and Justin Williams. Washington extended the lead in the third period as Tom Wilson scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Kuznetsov and Burakovsky. Vancouver got on the board with a Radim Vrbata power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Bo Horvat and Henrik Sedin. The Capitals iced it at 4-1 on a Kuznetsov empty net goal, his second of the game and fifteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were handed to Kuznetsov, Holtby (29 for 30 in saves), and Burakovsky.
Up in Montreal, the Canadiens host the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Mike Condon are in the blue paint. Chicago started in the first period on a Jonathan Toews goal, his seventeenth of the season, via Andrew Shaw and Duncan Keith. Montreal tied it with a Montreal tied it on a Paul Byron goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of David Desharnais and P.K. Subban. The Blackhawks took the lead back with a Ryan Garbutt goal, his second of the campaign, helped along by Michal Rozsival and Richard Panik. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars given to Crawford (39 for 40 in saves), Garbutt, and Toews.
Back stateside, the St. Louis Blues welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Eddie Lack and Brian Elliott receive the starting nods. Carolina drew first blood in the second period with a Jeff Skinner goal, his seventeenth of the season, coming off of Andrej Nestrasil. The Hurricanes added on in the third period with a Brett Pesce power play goal, his fourth of the year, powered by Jaccob Slavin and Victor Rask. Carolina extended the lead as Brock McGinn scored his third of the season, thanks to Skinner. Jordan Binnington took over for Elliott in goal. St. Louis got on the board with a Jori Lehtera goal, his fifth of the year, helped along by Joel Edmundson. The Hurricanes finished it at 4-1 with a Riley Nash goal, his second of the campaign, with a lone helper by Ron Hainsey. The three stars belonged to Skinner, Lack (23 for 24 in saves), and Pesce.
Into Canada again, with the Winnipeg Jets bringing in the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Connor Hellebuyck are the inconsistent goalies. Nashville led off in the first period with a Kevin Fiala goal, courtesy of Ryan Johansen and the goalie Rinne. Winnipeg tied it in the second period with a Dustin Byfuglien goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Andrew Ladd and Jacob Trouba. The Jets took the lead on a Bryan Little goal, his fifteenth of the year, a power play goal powered by Blake Wheeler and Mathieu Perreault. Winnipeg added on with an unassisted Byfuglien goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the season. The Jets extended the lead in the third period as Nikolaj Ehlers scored his eighth of the year, thanks to Ladd and Ben Chiarot. The Predators pulled back on a Johansen power play goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by James Neal and Shea Weber. Nashville got closer on an Eric Nystrom goal, his sixth of the year, guided in by Ryan Ellis. The Predators tied it with a Neal goal, his sixteenth of the season, fueled by Johansen and Paul Gaustad. Winnipeg won 5-4 in overtime with a Wheeler goal, his twelfth of the year, helped along by Little and Ladd, with the latter getting a sock trick. The three stars belonged to Byfuglien, Wheeler, and Johansen, while Little, Ladd, and Neal get the honorable mentions.
Southwest to Colorado, where the Avalanche host the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider faces a lesser foe in Calvin Pickard in goal. Colorado began in the first period on a Matt Duchene goal, his twenty-second of the season, fueled by Nick Holden and Gabriel Landeskog. The Avalanche added on in the second period with a Tyson Barrie shorthanded goal, his eighth of the year, set up by Nathan MacKinnon and Alex Tanguay. Colorado extended the lead in the third period as Carl Soderberg scored his eighth of the campaign, an empty net goal, going in unassisted. The three stars of the 3-0 game were Pickard (27 save shutout), Duchene, and Barrie.
Down in Arizona, the Coyotes welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek and Louis Domingue are the masked men. Arizona was first to score in the second period on an Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Jordan Martinook and Brad Richardson. The Coyotes added on with a Shane Doan power play goal, his sixteenth of the year, powered by Tobias Rieder and Mikkel Boedker. Detroit got on the board in the third period with a Pavel Datsyuk power play goal, his sixth of the season, courtesy of Mike Green and Gustav Nyquist. The Red Wings tied it on a Nyquist power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, via Datsyuk and Green. Detroit won 3-2 in overtime on a Danny DeKeyser goal, his fourth of the campaign, made possible by Dylan Larkin and Datsyuk. The three stars were handed to Datsyuk, Nyquist, and Green.
Finally, the San Jose Sharks bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Cam Talbot and Martin Jones are set to start in goal. San Jose struck first in the first period with a Marc-Edouard Vlasic goal, his fifth of the season, fueled by Melker Karlsson and Joe Thornton. Edmonton tied it on a Nail Yakupov goal in the second period, his third of the year, helped along by Lauri Korpikoski and Justin Schultz. In the shootout, Joe Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi lifted the Sharks to a 2-1 win with their tallies. The three stars went to Talbot (36 for 37 in saves), Jones (24 for 25 in saves), and Vlasic.
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Thursday, January 14, 2016
2015-16 NHL Season - Day 95
Four games tonight, beginning in...
Toronto, with the Maple Leafs hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and James Reimer are in goal. Columbus struck first in the first period on a Boone Jenner goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Seth Jones and Kerby Rychel. The Blue Jackets added on in the second period with an Alexander Wennberg goal, his fifth of the year, via Justin Falk and Scott Hartnell. Toronto got on the board with a Brad Boyes goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Leo Komarov and Morgan Rielly in the third period. Columbus iced it at 3-1 with a Brandon Dubinsky empty net goal, his ninth of the year, set up by Jenner on the power play. The three stars went to Jenner, Korpisalo (41 for 42 in saves), and Wennberg.
Down in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Steve Mason draw the starts. Philadelphia was first to score in the first period on a Jakub Voracek goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Claude Giroux. Boston tied it with a Kevan Miller goal, his third of the year, passed from Max Talbot in the second period. The Bruins took the lead on a Loui Eriksson power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Ryan Spooner and Torey Krug. The Flyers tied it again in the third period with a Wayne Simmonds goal, his eleventh of the year, helped along by Voracek and Giroux. Philadelphia pulled ahead with a Mark Streit goal, his fourth of the campaign, guided in by Giroux, who got a sock trick, and Voracek. The three stars were awarded to Voracek, Giroux, and Mason (30 for 32 in saves).
Out west, the Calgary Flames bring in the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Jonas Hiller are in the creases. Calgary opened in the first period on a Sam Bennett goal, his seventh of the season, via Jiri Hudler and Dougie Hamilton. The Flames added on with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, his nineteenth of the year, going in unassisted. Calgary extended the lead as Bennett scored his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, thanks to Mikael Backlund and Hamilton. The Flames padded the lead as Bennett finished his hat trick on his ninth of the season, assisted by Deryk Engelland and Josh Jooris. Al Montoya replaced Luongo in goal for the second period. Calgary kept going with a second period Mason Raymond goal, hi fourth of the year, fueled by David Jones and Mark Giordano. The Flames iced it at 6-0 with Bennett's fourth of the night and tenth of the campaign in the third period, set up by Hudler. The three stars were given to Bennett, Hamilton, and Hudler.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Frederik Andersen are the similarly named goalies. Anaheim got going in the second period on an Andrew Cogliano goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Kevin Bieksa. Ottawa tied it on a Curtis Lazar goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The Ducks regained the lead in the third period with a Shea Theodore power play goal, powered by Ryan Getzlaf and Sami Vatanen. Anaheim added on with a Carl Hagelin goal, his fourth of the season, via Ryan Kesler and Jakob Silfverberg. The Ducks extended the lead as Silfverberg scored his fourth of the year, with the help of Hampus Lindholm and Hagelin. This made it a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Hagelin, Silfverberg, and Theodore.
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Toronto, with the Maple Leafs hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and James Reimer are in goal. Columbus struck first in the first period on a Boone Jenner goal, his fifteenth of the season, coming off of Seth Jones and Kerby Rychel. The Blue Jackets added on in the second period with an Alexander Wennberg goal, his fifth of the year, via Justin Falk and Scott Hartnell. Toronto got on the board with a Brad Boyes goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Leo Komarov and Morgan Rielly in the third period. Columbus iced it at 3-1 with a Brandon Dubinsky empty net goal, his ninth of the year, set up by Jenner on the power play. The three stars went to Jenner, Korpisalo (41 for 42 in saves), and Wennberg.
Down in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Steve Mason draw the starts. Philadelphia was first to score in the first period on a Jakub Voracek goal, his fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Claude Giroux. Boston tied it with a Kevan Miller goal, his third of the year, passed from Max Talbot in the second period. The Bruins took the lead on a Loui Eriksson power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Ryan Spooner and Torey Krug. The Flyers tied it again in the third period with a Wayne Simmonds goal, his eleventh of the year, helped along by Voracek and Giroux. Philadelphia pulled ahead with a Mark Streit goal, his fourth of the campaign, guided in by Giroux, who got a sock trick, and Voracek. The three stars were awarded to Voracek, Giroux, and Mason (30 for 32 in saves).
Out west, the Calgary Flames bring in the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Jonas Hiller are in the creases. Calgary opened in the first period on a Sam Bennett goal, his seventh of the season, via Jiri Hudler and Dougie Hamilton. The Flames added on with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, his nineteenth of the year, going in unassisted. Calgary extended the lead as Bennett scored his second of the game and eighth of the campaign, thanks to Mikael Backlund and Hamilton. The Flames padded the lead as Bennett finished his hat trick on his ninth of the season, assisted by Deryk Engelland and Josh Jooris. Al Montoya replaced Luongo in goal for the second period. Calgary kept going with a second period Mason Raymond goal, hi fourth of the year, fueled by David Jones and Mark Giordano. The Flames iced it at 6-0 with Bennett's fourth of the night and tenth of the campaign in the third period, set up by Hudler. The three stars were given to Bennett, Hamilton, and Hudler.
Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Frederik Andersen are the similarly named goalies. Anaheim got going in the second period on an Andrew Cogliano goal, his fourth of the season, helped along by Kevin Bieksa. Ottawa tied it on a Curtis Lazar goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The Ducks regained the lead in the third period with a Shea Theodore power play goal, powered by Ryan Getzlaf and Sami Vatanen. Anaheim added on with a Carl Hagelin goal, his fourth of the season, via Ryan Kesler and Jakob Silfverberg. The Ducks extended the lead as Silfverberg scored his fourth of the year, with the help of Hampus Lindholm and Hagelin. This made it a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Hagelin, Silfverberg, and Theodore.
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Wednesday, January 13, 2016
2015/16 Premier League Week 21
This is a midweek set of games, beginning with three on Tuesday. First up...
Aston Villa hosts Crystal Palace. Wayne Hennessey and Mark Bunn get the starts in goal. Aston Villa got going in the fifty-eighth minute on a Joleon Lescott goal, via Jordan Veretout. In the sixty-eighth minute, Veretout took a yellow card for his foul for Aston Villa. Crystal Palace saw a yellow card for a Joel Ward foul in the seventy-ninth minute. Aston Villa received a yellow card for an eightieth minute Idrissa Gueye foul. The final held at 1-0 for Aston Villa.
Next up, Bournemouth welcomes West Ham United. Adrian and Artur Boruc man the nets. Bournemouth struck first in the seventeenth minute on a Harry Arter goal, passed from Andrew Surman. Adam Smith of Bournemouth had a yellow card for a sixty-sixth minute foul. West Ham United tied it on a Dimitri Payet goal in the sixty-seventh minute, but he also got a yellow card for excessive celebration. At the seventy-four minute mark, Enner Valencia scored to put West Ham United ahead, thanks to Payet. In the eighty-fourth minute, Valencia made it a brace with another goal. West Ham United won with the 3-1 final from here.
In the north, the last Tuesday game sees Newcastle United bring in Manchester United. David de Gea and Robert Elliot are the goalies. Wayne Rooney was first to score for Manchester United on a ninth minute penalty kick goal. Manchester United saw yellow cards for Marouane Fellaini in the twenty-fifth minute and Ander Herrera in the thirtieth minute, both for fouls. Cheick Tiote of Newcastle United took a yellow card in the thirty-fifth minute. In the thirty-eighth minute, Manchester United added on with a Jesse Lingard goal, set up by Rooney. Newcastle United got on the board with a Georginio Wijnaldum goal, assisted by Aleksandar Mitrovic. In the sixty-sixth minute, Chris Smalling of Manchester United had a yellow card for a foul. Newcastle United tied it with a Mitrovic penalty kick goal in the sixty-seventh minute. In the seventy-ninth minute, Rooney scored to restore a Manchester United lead. Newcastle United tied it on a Paul Demmett goal in the ninetieth minute. This produced the 3-3 final.
Leading off Wednesday's seven games, Chelsea hosts West Bromwich Albion. Boaz Myhill and Thibaut Courtois draw the starts in goal. In the twentieth minute, Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta opened the scoring, with the help of Branislav Ivanovic. West Bromwich Albion had a yellow card go to Claudio Yacob in the twenty-fifth minute. In the thirty-third minute, West Bromwich Albion tied it with a Craig Gardner goal, passed from Darren Fletcher. Chelsea saw a yellow card for a Diego Costa foul in the forty-ninth minute. In the sixty-eighth minute, West Bromwich Albion keeper Myhill took a yellow card, and two minutes later, Chelsea goalie Courtois also received a yellow card. James McClean of West Bromwich Albion also had a yellow card in the seventieth minute. In the seventy-third minute, Gareth McAuley of West Bromwich Albion gifted Chelsea a goal when he put the ball in his own net. Azpilicueta of Chelsea had a yellow card for an eighty-fifth minute. McClean scored in the eighty-sixth minute, tying the game for West Bromwich Albion at 2-2, which would be the final.
Up to Manchester, where City welcomes Everton. Tim Howard and Joe Hart are the keepers. In the fiftieth minute, Muhamed Besic of Everton took a yellow card for a foul. The game itself was defensively sound, ending 0-0.
Backtracking to Southampton bringing in Watford. Heurelho Gomes and Fraser Forster take the starts in goal. Southampton started in the seventeenth minute with a Shane Long goal, guided in by Matt Targett. Cedric Soares of Southampton received a yellow card for his twenty-fourth minute foul. Sebastian Prodl of Watford took a yellow card for his sixty-seventh minute foul. Southampton added on in the seventy-third minute with a Dusan Tadic goal, via Steven Davis. In the seventy-seventh minute, Troy Deeney of Watford had a yellow card for a foul. Southampton cruised to a 2-0 win.
Next up, Stoke City hosts Norwich City. Declad Rudd and Jack Butland are the lesser-known goalies. Norwich City went down to ten men in the thirty-first minute when Gary O'Neil received a straight red card for a foul. Stoke City drew first blood in the forty-ninth minute with a Jonathan Walters goal, via Marko Arnautovic. Norwich City tied it on a fifty-fifth minute Jonny Howson goal, coming off of Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe. In the sixty-seventh minute, Stoke City regained the lead on a Joselu goal, passed from Ibrahim Afellay. In the seventy-seventh minute, Alexander Tettey took a yellow card for his foul for Norwich City. Stoke City added on in the seventy-seventh minute as Norwich City's Ryan Bennett put the ball in his own net. This produced the 3-1 final favoring Stoke City.
Out in Wales, Swansea City welcomes Sunderland. Vito Mannone and Lukasz Fabianski protect the nets. In the fourth minute, Sunderland led off with a Jermain Defoe goal. Swansea City tied it in the twenty-first minute on a Gylfi Sigurdsson penalty kick goal. Swansea City went down to ten men when Kyle Naughton picked up a straight red card for his thirty-seventh minute foul. Andre Ayew of Swansea City gave them a lead with his fortieth minute goal, set up by the keeper Fabianski. Sunderland tied it on a forty-ninth minute Patrick van Aanholt goal, fueled by Adam Johnson. Sunderland took the lead back in the sixty-first minute with a Defoe goal, assisted by Johnson. Mannone of Sunderland had a yellow card in the sixty-seventh minute, as did teammate van Aanholt in the seventy-ninth minute. Sunderland extended the lead as Defoe completed his hat trick in the eighty-fifth minute, courtesy of van Aanholt. This secured Sunderland's 4-2 win.
Back in England, Liverpool brings in Arsenal. Petr Cech and Simon Mignolet tend the nets. Liverpool began in the tenth minute on a Roberto Firmino goal. Arsenal tied it on a fourteenth minute goal by Aaron Ramsey, via Joel Campbell. Liverpool regained the lead in the nineteenth minute as Firmino scored again, with the help of James Milner. Arsenal retied it on a twenty-fifth minute goal by Olivier Giroud, set up by Ramsey. Nathaniel Clyne of Liverpool had a yellow card for his fifty-third minute handball. Arsenal retook the lead in the fifty-fifth minute on a Giroud goal. Joe Allen of Liverpool leveled the score again in the ninetieth minute with his goal helped along by Christian Benteke. The score remained 3-3 to the end.
Finally, Tottenham Hotspur hosts Leicester City. Kasper Schmeichel and Hugo Lloris are in the six-yard boxes. Tottenham Hotspur had a yellow card for a foul by Eric Dier in the seventy-ninth minute. Leicester City dented the scoreboard with an eighty-third minute Robert Huth goal, set up by Christian Fuchs. This stood for a 1-0 win for Leicester City.
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Aston Villa hosts Crystal Palace. Wayne Hennessey and Mark Bunn get the starts in goal. Aston Villa got going in the fifty-eighth minute on a Joleon Lescott goal, via Jordan Veretout. In the sixty-eighth minute, Veretout took a yellow card for his foul for Aston Villa. Crystal Palace saw a yellow card for a Joel Ward foul in the seventy-ninth minute. Aston Villa received a yellow card for an eightieth minute Idrissa Gueye foul. The final held at 1-0 for Aston Villa.
Next up, Bournemouth welcomes West Ham United. Adrian and Artur Boruc man the nets. Bournemouth struck first in the seventeenth minute on a Harry Arter goal, passed from Andrew Surman. Adam Smith of Bournemouth had a yellow card for a sixty-sixth minute foul. West Ham United tied it on a Dimitri Payet goal in the sixty-seventh minute, but he also got a yellow card for excessive celebration. At the seventy-four minute mark, Enner Valencia scored to put West Ham United ahead, thanks to Payet. In the eighty-fourth minute, Valencia made it a brace with another goal. West Ham United won with the 3-1 final from here.
In the north, the last Tuesday game sees Newcastle United bring in Manchester United. David de Gea and Robert Elliot are the goalies. Wayne Rooney was first to score for Manchester United on a ninth minute penalty kick goal. Manchester United saw yellow cards for Marouane Fellaini in the twenty-fifth minute and Ander Herrera in the thirtieth minute, both for fouls. Cheick Tiote of Newcastle United took a yellow card in the thirty-fifth minute. In the thirty-eighth minute, Manchester United added on with a Jesse Lingard goal, set up by Rooney. Newcastle United got on the board with a Georginio Wijnaldum goal, assisted by Aleksandar Mitrovic. In the sixty-sixth minute, Chris Smalling of Manchester United had a yellow card for a foul. Newcastle United tied it with a Mitrovic penalty kick goal in the sixty-seventh minute. In the seventy-ninth minute, Rooney scored to restore a Manchester United lead. Newcastle United tied it on a Paul Demmett goal in the ninetieth minute. This produced the 3-3 final.
Leading off Wednesday's seven games, Chelsea hosts West Bromwich Albion. Boaz Myhill and Thibaut Courtois draw the starts in goal. In the twentieth minute, Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta opened the scoring, with the help of Branislav Ivanovic. West Bromwich Albion had a yellow card go to Claudio Yacob in the twenty-fifth minute. In the thirty-third minute, West Bromwich Albion tied it with a Craig Gardner goal, passed from Darren Fletcher. Chelsea saw a yellow card for a Diego Costa foul in the forty-ninth minute. In the sixty-eighth minute, West Bromwich Albion keeper Myhill took a yellow card, and two minutes later, Chelsea goalie Courtois also received a yellow card. James McClean of West Bromwich Albion also had a yellow card in the seventieth minute. In the seventy-third minute, Gareth McAuley of West Bromwich Albion gifted Chelsea a goal when he put the ball in his own net. Azpilicueta of Chelsea had a yellow card for an eighty-fifth minute. McClean scored in the eighty-sixth minute, tying the game for West Bromwich Albion at 2-2, which would be the final.
Up to Manchester, where City welcomes Everton. Tim Howard and Joe Hart are the keepers. In the fiftieth minute, Muhamed Besic of Everton took a yellow card for a foul. The game itself was defensively sound, ending 0-0.
Backtracking to Southampton bringing in Watford. Heurelho Gomes and Fraser Forster take the starts in goal. Southampton started in the seventeenth minute with a Shane Long goal, guided in by Matt Targett. Cedric Soares of Southampton received a yellow card for his twenty-fourth minute foul. Sebastian Prodl of Watford took a yellow card for his sixty-seventh minute foul. Southampton added on in the seventy-third minute with a Dusan Tadic goal, via Steven Davis. In the seventy-seventh minute, Troy Deeney of Watford had a yellow card for a foul. Southampton cruised to a 2-0 win.
Next up, Stoke City hosts Norwich City. Declad Rudd and Jack Butland are the lesser-known goalies. Norwich City went down to ten men in the thirty-first minute when Gary O'Neil received a straight red card for a foul. Stoke City drew first blood in the forty-ninth minute with a Jonathan Walters goal, via Marko Arnautovic. Norwich City tied it on a fifty-fifth minute Jonny Howson goal, coming off of Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe. In the sixty-seventh minute, Stoke City regained the lead on a Joselu goal, passed from Ibrahim Afellay. In the seventy-seventh minute, Alexander Tettey took a yellow card for his foul for Norwich City. Stoke City added on in the seventy-seventh minute as Norwich City's Ryan Bennett put the ball in his own net. This produced the 3-1 final favoring Stoke City.
Out in Wales, Swansea City welcomes Sunderland. Vito Mannone and Lukasz Fabianski protect the nets. In the fourth minute, Sunderland led off with a Jermain Defoe goal. Swansea City tied it in the twenty-first minute on a Gylfi Sigurdsson penalty kick goal. Swansea City went down to ten men when Kyle Naughton picked up a straight red card for his thirty-seventh minute foul. Andre Ayew of Swansea City gave them a lead with his fortieth minute goal, set up by the keeper Fabianski. Sunderland tied it on a forty-ninth minute Patrick van Aanholt goal, fueled by Adam Johnson. Sunderland took the lead back in the sixty-first minute with a Defoe goal, assisted by Johnson. Mannone of Sunderland had a yellow card in the sixty-seventh minute, as did teammate van Aanholt in the seventy-ninth minute. Sunderland extended the lead as Defoe completed his hat trick in the eighty-fifth minute, courtesy of van Aanholt. This secured Sunderland's 4-2 win.
Back in England, Liverpool brings in Arsenal. Petr Cech and Simon Mignolet tend the nets. Liverpool began in the tenth minute on a Roberto Firmino goal. Arsenal tied it on a fourteenth minute goal by Aaron Ramsey, via Joel Campbell. Liverpool regained the lead in the nineteenth minute as Firmino scored again, with the help of James Milner. Arsenal retied it on a twenty-fifth minute goal by Olivier Giroud, set up by Ramsey. Nathaniel Clyne of Liverpool had a yellow card for his fifty-third minute handball. Arsenal retook the lead in the fifty-fifth minute on a Giroud goal. Joe Allen of Liverpool leveled the score again in the ninetieth minute with his goal helped along by Christian Benteke. The score remained 3-3 to the end.
Finally, Tottenham Hotspur hosts Leicester City. Kasper Schmeichel and Hugo Lloris are in the six-yard boxes. Tottenham Hotspur had a yellow card for a foul by Eric Dier in the seventy-ninth minute. Leicester City dented the scoreboard with an eighty-third minute Robert Huth goal, set up by Christian Fuchs. This stood for a 1-0 win for Leicester City.
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2015/16 KHL Season - Day 121
Ten games on for today, beginning in...
Magnitogorsk, as Metallurg hosts Dinamo Minsk. Jeff Glass and Vasily Koshechkin are the goalies. Magnitogorsk opened in the first period on a Danis Zaripov goal, passed from Alexei Bereglazov and Oskar Osala. Minsk tied it on an Evgeny Lisovets goal, assisted by Ilya Shinkevich and Matt Ellison. Metallurg retook the lead with an Alexander Semin goal in the second period, made possible by Chris Lee and Zaripov. Magnitogorsk added on in the third period with a Denis Platonov goal, via Vladislav Kaletnik and Bereglazov. Metallurg extended the lead as Pavel Medvedev scored, thanks to Lee and Wojtek Wolski. Magnitogorsk made it 5-1, the eventual final, on a Lee power play goal, powered by Viktor Antipin and Zaripov. The three stars were Lee, Zaripov, and Bereglazov.
Over in Chelyabinsk, Traktor welcomes CSKA Moscow. Viktor Fasth and Vasily Demchenko are set to start. Moscow struck first with a Vladimir Zharkov goal in the first period, with a lone assist by Andrei Svetlakov. CSKA added on in the second period as Svetlakov scored, thanks to Zharkov. Moscow extended the lead on a Zharkov goal, made possible by Artyom Blazhiyevsky and Igor Ozhiganov. Pavel Francouz replaced Demchenko in goal for the third period. The final held at 3-0, with the three stars going to Zharkov, Svetlakov, and Fasth (16 save shutout).
Back east, Salavat Yulaev Ufa brings in Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Ilya Proskuryakov and Niklas Svedberg man the nets. Nizhny Novgorod got going in the second period with a Stanislav Yegorshev goal, passed from Alexander Frolov and Artyom Alyayev. Torpedo added on with a Dmitry Semin goal, via Kaspars Daugavins and Frolov on the power play. Ufa got on the board with a Nikolai Prokhorkin goal, helped along by Maxim Goncharov and Teemu Hartikainen. Nizhny Novgorod answered with a Daugavins goal in the third period, fueled by Yury Sergiyenko and Linus Videll. This held for a 3-1 win, with the three stars given to Daugavins, Frolov, and Proskuryakov (23 for 24 in saves).
Continuing along, Lada Togliatti hosts Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Georgy Gelashvili and Edgars Masalskis are the average goalies. Khanty-Mansiysk was first to score in the first period on an Igor Bortnikov goal, guided in by Kirill Rasskazov. Togliatti tied it on a Dmitry Vorobyov goal, assisted by Martin Zatovic and Alexander Bumagin. Lada took the lead with a Vorobyov power play goal in the second period, powered by Georgy Belousov. Togliatti added on with a Bumagin goal, helped along by Zatovic. Yugra pulled back on an Ivan Yatsenko power play goal, with assists provided by Stanislav Kalashnikov and Evgeny Lapenkov. Lada answered in the third period on a Bumagin power play goal, his second of the game, via Zatovic, who got a sock trick, and Yefim Gurkin. Togliatti won 5-2 on an unassisted Vasily Streltsov goal. The three stars belonged to Bumagin, Vorobyov, and Zatovic.
West a bit to Yaroslavl, where Lokomotiv welcomes Barys Astana. Pavel Poluektov and Anton Krasotkin are the backups in goal. Yaroslavl dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Sergei Konkov goal, guided in by Yegor Averin. Lokomotiv added on in the third period with a Denis Mosalyov goal, assisted by Staffan Kronwall and Kirill Kapustin. Yaroslavl extended the lead as Averin scored a power play goal, thanks to Konkov and Daniil Apalkov. Astana got on the board with an unassisted Brandon Bochenski goal. Lokomotiv iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Andrei Loktionov, set up by Dmitry Maltsev. The three stars went to Konkov, Averin, and Krasotkin (26 for 27 in saves).
Backtracking to Nizhnekamsk, where Neftekhimik brings in Severstal Cherepovets. Sergei Magarilov and Ivan Lisutin receive the starts in goal. Nizhnekamsk started in the first period on an Igor Volkov goal, helped along by Mikhail Zhukov and Dmitry Ogurtsov. Neftekhimik added on with an Igor Polygalov goal, courtesy of Marek Kvapil. Nizhnekamsk extended the lead on an Andrei Sergeyev power play goal in the second period, going in unassisted. This produced the eventual 3-0 final, with the three stars handed to Lisutin (26 save shutout), Volkov, and Polygalov.
Next up, Ak Bars Kazan hosts Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Igor Ustinsky and Emil Garipov are in the blue paint. Kazan led off in the first period with a Dmitry Arkhipov goal, guided in by Nikolai Belov and Alexander Svitov. Yekaterinburg tied it on a Vitaly Popov goal, helped along by Tommi Kivisto and Kirill Polozov. Avtomobilist took the lead with an Ondrej Roman goal, coming off of Andrei Alexeyev. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Roman, Ustinsky (27 for 28 in saves), and Popov.
Into Moscow, where Spartak welcomes Medvescak Zagreb. Danny Taylor and Evgeny Ivannikov are the masked men. Zagreb began in the first period on a Mike Glumac goal, helped along by Milan Jurcina. Moscow tied it on a Lukas Radil goal in the second period, courtesy of Konstantin Glazachev. Medvescak retook the lead with a Tuukka Mantyla power play goal, powered by Radek Smolenak. Zagreb added on with a Jesse Saarinen goal, coming off of Stefano Giliati and Jurcina. Medvescak extended the lead on a power play goal by Mantyla, with helpers from Colby Genoway and Smolenak. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars going to Mantyla, Jurcina, and Smolenak.
Northwest to St. Petersburg, where SKA brings in Slovan Bratislava. Michael Garnett and Mikko Koskinen guard the cages. St. Petersburg drew first blood in the first period on an Evgeny Dadonov goal, assisted by Vadim Shipachyov and Dmitry Yudin. SKA added on with a Shipachyov goal in the second period, made possible by Nikita Gusev and Dadonov. Bratislava got on the board in the third period with a Tomas Kundratek goal, courtesy of Cam Barker and Lukas Kaspar. Slovan tied it with a Michal Sersen goal, helped along by Marek Viedensky and Milan Bartovic. St. Petersburg took the lead on an Anton Belov goal, with a lone assist from Alexander Kadeikin. This sealed a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Shipachyov, Dadonov, and Koskinen (30 for 32 in saves).
Finally, in Riga, Dinamo hosts Avangard Omsk. Dominik Furch and Jakub Sedlacek are between the pipes. Riga got started in the first period with an Edgars Kulda goal, via Vitalijs Pavlovs and Steven Seigo. Omsk tied it on an Anton Burdasov goal in the second period, coming off of Denis Parshin and Michal Kempny. Avangard took the lead on a Pyotr Khokhryakov power play goal, powered by Burdasov and Parshin. This was it for the scoring, with the three stars being Furch (33 for 34 in saves), Khokhryakov, and Burdasov.
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Magnitogorsk, as Metallurg hosts Dinamo Minsk. Jeff Glass and Vasily Koshechkin are the goalies. Magnitogorsk opened in the first period on a Danis Zaripov goal, passed from Alexei Bereglazov and Oskar Osala. Minsk tied it on an Evgeny Lisovets goal, assisted by Ilya Shinkevich and Matt Ellison. Metallurg retook the lead with an Alexander Semin goal in the second period, made possible by Chris Lee and Zaripov. Magnitogorsk added on in the third period with a Denis Platonov goal, via Vladislav Kaletnik and Bereglazov. Metallurg extended the lead as Pavel Medvedev scored, thanks to Lee and Wojtek Wolski. Magnitogorsk made it 5-1, the eventual final, on a Lee power play goal, powered by Viktor Antipin and Zaripov. The three stars were Lee, Zaripov, and Bereglazov.
Over in Chelyabinsk, Traktor welcomes CSKA Moscow. Viktor Fasth and Vasily Demchenko are set to start. Moscow struck first with a Vladimir Zharkov goal in the first period, with a lone assist by Andrei Svetlakov. CSKA added on in the second period as Svetlakov scored, thanks to Zharkov. Moscow extended the lead on a Zharkov goal, made possible by Artyom Blazhiyevsky and Igor Ozhiganov. Pavel Francouz replaced Demchenko in goal for the third period. The final held at 3-0, with the three stars going to Zharkov, Svetlakov, and Fasth (16 save shutout).
Back east, Salavat Yulaev Ufa brings in Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Ilya Proskuryakov and Niklas Svedberg man the nets. Nizhny Novgorod got going in the second period with a Stanislav Yegorshev goal, passed from Alexander Frolov and Artyom Alyayev. Torpedo added on with a Dmitry Semin goal, via Kaspars Daugavins and Frolov on the power play. Ufa got on the board with a Nikolai Prokhorkin goal, helped along by Maxim Goncharov and Teemu Hartikainen. Nizhny Novgorod answered with a Daugavins goal in the third period, fueled by Yury Sergiyenko and Linus Videll. This held for a 3-1 win, with the three stars given to Daugavins, Frolov, and Proskuryakov (23 for 24 in saves).
Continuing along, Lada Togliatti hosts Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Georgy Gelashvili and Edgars Masalskis are the average goalies. Khanty-Mansiysk was first to score in the first period on an Igor Bortnikov goal, guided in by Kirill Rasskazov. Togliatti tied it on a Dmitry Vorobyov goal, assisted by Martin Zatovic and Alexander Bumagin. Lada took the lead with a Vorobyov power play goal in the second period, powered by Georgy Belousov. Togliatti added on with a Bumagin goal, helped along by Zatovic. Yugra pulled back on an Ivan Yatsenko power play goal, with assists provided by Stanislav Kalashnikov and Evgeny Lapenkov. Lada answered in the third period on a Bumagin power play goal, his second of the game, via Zatovic, who got a sock trick, and Yefim Gurkin. Togliatti won 5-2 on an unassisted Vasily Streltsov goal. The three stars belonged to Bumagin, Vorobyov, and Zatovic.
West a bit to Yaroslavl, where Lokomotiv welcomes Barys Astana. Pavel Poluektov and Anton Krasotkin are the backups in goal. Yaroslavl dented the scoreboard in the second period on a Sergei Konkov goal, guided in by Yegor Averin. Lokomotiv added on in the third period with a Denis Mosalyov goal, assisted by Staffan Kronwall and Kirill Kapustin. Yaroslavl extended the lead as Averin scored a power play goal, thanks to Konkov and Daniil Apalkov. Astana got on the board with an unassisted Brandon Bochenski goal. Lokomotiv iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Andrei Loktionov, set up by Dmitry Maltsev. The three stars went to Konkov, Averin, and Krasotkin (26 for 27 in saves).
Backtracking to Nizhnekamsk, where Neftekhimik brings in Severstal Cherepovets. Sergei Magarilov and Ivan Lisutin receive the starts in goal. Nizhnekamsk started in the first period on an Igor Volkov goal, helped along by Mikhail Zhukov and Dmitry Ogurtsov. Neftekhimik added on with an Igor Polygalov goal, courtesy of Marek Kvapil. Nizhnekamsk extended the lead on an Andrei Sergeyev power play goal in the second period, going in unassisted. This produced the eventual 3-0 final, with the three stars handed to Lisutin (26 save shutout), Volkov, and Polygalov.
Next up, Ak Bars Kazan hosts Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Igor Ustinsky and Emil Garipov are in the blue paint. Kazan led off in the first period with a Dmitry Arkhipov goal, guided in by Nikolai Belov and Alexander Svitov. Yekaterinburg tied it on a Vitaly Popov goal, helped along by Tommi Kivisto and Kirill Polozov. Avtomobilist took the lead with an Ondrej Roman goal, coming off of Andrei Alexeyev. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being Roman, Ustinsky (27 for 28 in saves), and Popov.
Into Moscow, where Spartak welcomes Medvescak Zagreb. Danny Taylor and Evgeny Ivannikov are the masked men. Zagreb began in the first period on a Mike Glumac goal, helped along by Milan Jurcina. Moscow tied it on a Lukas Radil goal in the second period, courtesy of Konstantin Glazachev. Medvescak retook the lead with a Tuukka Mantyla power play goal, powered by Radek Smolenak. Zagreb added on with a Jesse Saarinen goal, coming off of Stefano Giliati and Jurcina. Medvescak extended the lead on a power play goal by Mantyla, with helpers from Colby Genoway and Smolenak. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars going to Mantyla, Jurcina, and Smolenak.
Northwest to St. Petersburg, where SKA brings in Slovan Bratislava. Michael Garnett and Mikko Koskinen guard the cages. St. Petersburg drew first blood in the first period on an Evgeny Dadonov goal, assisted by Vadim Shipachyov and Dmitry Yudin. SKA added on with a Shipachyov goal in the second period, made possible by Nikita Gusev and Dadonov. Bratislava got on the board in the third period with a Tomas Kundratek goal, courtesy of Cam Barker and Lukas Kaspar. Slovan tied it with a Michal Sersen goal, helped along by Marek Viedensky and Milan Bartovic. St. Petersburg took the lead on an Anton Belov goal, with a lone assist from Alexander Kadeikin. This sealed a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Shipachyov, Dadonov, and Koskinen (30 for 32 in saves).
Finally, in Riga, Dinamo hosts Avangard Omsk. Dominik Furch and Jakub Sedlacek are between the pipes. Riga got started in the first period with an Edgars Kulda goal, via Vitalijs Pavlovs and Steven Seigo. Omsk tied it on an Anton Burdasov goal in the second period, coming off of Denis Parshin and Michal Kempny. Avangard took the lead on a Pyotr Khokhryakov power play goal, powered by Burdasov and Parshin. This was it for the scoring, with the three stars being Furch (33 for 34 in saves), Khokhryakov, and Burdasov.
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Tuesday, January 12, 2016
2015-16 KHL Day 120/NHL Day 94
It's another combined post, led by a single KHL game and with eight more NHL games. We begin in...
Moscow, with Dynamo hosting Jokerit Helsinki. Henrik Karlsson and Alexander Yeryomenko are the solid goalies. Moscow opened in the first period with a Denis Kokarev goal, fueled by Alexei Tereshchenko and Vladimir Bryukvin. Dynamo added on with a Konstantin Gorovikov goal, coming off of Maxim Pestushko on the power play. Moscow extended the lead in the second period as Gorovikov scored again, thanks to Pestushko and Ansel Galimov. Helsinki got on the board with a Niko Kapanen power play goal, powered by Niklas Hagman. Jokerit got closer with another Kapanen goal, made possible by Hagman and Jesper Jensen. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Gorovikov, Kapanen, and Pestushko, while Hagman gets an honorable mention.
In North America, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward are the veteran goalies. Carolina got going in the second period on an Eric Staal goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Kris Versteeg and Elias Lindholm. The Hurricanes added on with a Versteeg goal, his seventh of the year, via Lindholm and Staal. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Kris Letang goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Olli Maatta and Sidney Crosby. The Penguins tied it in the third period as Chris Kunitz scored his sixth of the year, assisted by Crosby and Patric Hornqvist. Carolina won 3-2 in overtime on a Jeff Skinner goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, a power play goal powered by Lindholm, who got a sock trick, and Justin Faulk. The three stars went to Lindholm, Staal, and Versteeg, while Crosby gets an honorable mention.
Up in Brooklyn, the New York Islanders bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anton Forsberg and Thomas Greiss are the backups in goal. New York struck first in the first period on a Ryan Strome goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas. Columbus tied it on a William Karlsson goal, his fourth of the year, with a lone helper from Jack Johnson. The Islanders retook the lead on a Brock Nelson goal, his fifteenth of the season, helped along by Thomas Hickey and Josh Bailey. The Blue Jackets retied it in the second period on an unassisted David Savard goal. New York pulled ahead as Nelson scored his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, thanks to Anders Lee. The Islanders added on with a Brian Strait goal, coming off of John Tavares and Nelson. New York iced it at 5-2 with a Nelson empty net goal, completing his hat trick on his seventeenth of the campaign, going in unassisted on the power play. The three stars belonged to Nelson, Strait, and Strome.
Out west, the St. Louis Blues host the New Jersey Devils. Keith Kinkaid and Brian Elliott occupy the creases. St. Louis started in the first period on a Patrik Berglund power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Alexander Steen and Colton Parayko. New Jersey tied it on a Bobby Farnham goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Stephen Gionta and Adam Larsson. The Devils gained the lead with a Lee Stempniak goal, his tenth of the campaign, made possible by Larsson and Joseph Blandisi. The Blues retied it in the second period as Scottie Upshall scored his fifth of the season, with the help of Troy Brouwer and Steen. St. Louis pulled ahead on a Berglund power play goal, his second of the game and third of the year, with assists provided by Alex Pietrangelo and Jori Lehtera. The Blues added on in the third period with a Ty Rattie goal, guided in by Kevin Shattenkirk and Robby Fabbri. St. Louis iced it at 5-2 with a David Backes empty net goal, his twelfth of the campaign going in unassisted. The three stars were Berglund, Steen, and Rattie.
Up in Winnipeg, the Jets welcome the San Jose Sharks. Alex Stalock and Connor Hellebuyck are the young goalies. San Jose was first to score in the first period on a Chris Tierney shorthanded goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. Winnipeg tied it on a Nikolaj Ehlers power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Drew Stafford. The Sharks retook the lead on an unassisted Joe Thornton goal, his ninth of the season. San Jose added on in the third period with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Logan Couture and Brent Burns. The Sharks finished it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Joel Ward, his thirteenth of the campaign, set up by Tierney and Paul Martin. The three stars went to Tierney, Stalock (21 for 22 in saves), and Thornton.
Back stateside, the Minnesota Wild bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Linus Ullmark and Devan Dubnyk draw the starts. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Jamie McGinn goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Evander Kane and Ryan O'Reilly. The Sabres added on with a Rasmus Ristolainen goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Brian Gionta. Buffalo extended the lead as Gionta scored his fifth of the campaign, with the help of Josh Gorges and Marcus Foligno. Minnesota got on the board in the second period on a Ryan Suter shorthanded goal, his sixth of the season, set up by Erik Haula and Jared Spurgeon. The Wild got closer in the third period with a Thomas Vanek goal, his fourteenth of the year, coming off of Suter and Mikael Granlund. They failed to tie it, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Gionta, Suter, and Ristolainen.
A little more south, the Chicago Blackhawks host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Corey Crawford guard the cages. Chicago began in the first period on an Andrew Shaw goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks added on with a Shaw goal in the second period, his second of the game and eighth of the year, via Hossa and Dennis Rasmussen. Chicago extended the lead as Brent Seabrook scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Patrick Kane and Erik Gustafsson. Nashville got on the board with a Mike Ribeiro goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The Predators got closer in the third period on a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his twelfth of the campaign, powered by Ryan Johansen and Ribeiro. This produced the 3-2 final, with the three stars given to Shaw, Ribeiro, and Hossa.
Westward to Colorado, with the Avalanche welcoming the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Semyon Varlamov protect the nets. Tampa Bay dented the scoreboard in the first period on an Ondrej Palat goal, his third of the season, via Victor Hedman and Alex Killorn. The Lightning added on in the second period with a Steven Stamkos goal, his nineteenth of the year, courtesy of Vladislav Namestnikov and Palat. Tampa Bay extended the lead on another Stamkos goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the season, assisted by Palat and Namestnikov. The Lightning padded the lead in the third period on a Tyler Johnson goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Hedman and Kucherov. The final held at 4-0, with the three stars awarded to Stamkos, Palat, and Bishop (21 save shutout), while Hedman and Namestnikov get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Arizona Coyotes bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Anders Nilsson and Louis Domingue are the underrated goalies. Edmonton drew first blood in the first period on a Leon Draisaitl goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Jordan Eberle and Benoit Pouliot. The Oilers added on in the second period with a Justin Schultz goal in the second period, his third of the year, a power play goal powered by Draisaitl and Eberle. Arizona got on the board with a Max Domi goal, his eleventh of the season, via Michael Stone and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Edmonton replied with a Pouliot power play goal, his tenth of the year, helped along by Schultz and Eberle, the latter getting a sock trick. The Coyotes replied on a Domi power play goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Anthony Duclair and Ekman-Larsson. Arizona tied it on a Domi power play goal, completing his hat trick on his thirteenth of the year, with assists provided by Mikkel Boedker and Ekman-Larsson. The Coyotes won 4-3 in overtime on an Ekman-Larsson goal, his twelfth of the campaign, fueled by Stone on the power play. The three stars went to Ekman-Larsson, Domi, and Pouilot, while Draisaitl, Eberle, Schultz, and Stone get the honorable mentions.
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Moscow, with Dynamo hosting Jokerit Helsinki. Henrik Karlsson and Alexander Yeryomenko are the solid goalies. Moscow opened in the first period with a Denis Kokarev goal, fueled by Alexei Tereshchenko and Vladimir Bryukvin. Dynamo added on with a Konstantin Gorovikov goal, coming off of Maxim Pestushko on the power play. Moscow extended the lead in the second period as Gorovikov scored again, thanks to Pestushko and Ansel Galimov. Helsinki got on the board with a Niko Kapanen power play goal, powered by Niklas Hagman. Jokerit got closer with another Kapanen goal, made possible by Hagman and Jesper Jensen. This made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Gorovikov, Kapanen, and Pestushko, while Hagman gets an honorable mention.
In North America, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward are the veteran goalies. Carolina got going in the second period on an Eric Staal goal, his ninth of the season, guided in by Kris Versteeg and Elias Lindholm. The Hurricanes added on with a Versteeg goal, his seventh of the year, via Lindholm and Staal. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Kris Letang goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Olli Maatta and Sidney Crosby. The Penguins tied it in the third period as Chris Kunitz scored his sixth of the year, assisted by Crosby and Patric Hornqvist. Carolina won 3-2 in overtime on a Jeff Skinner goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, a power play goal powered by Lindholm, who got a sock trick, and Justin Faulk. The three stars went to Lindholm, Staal, and Versteeg, while Crosby gets an honorable mention.
Up in Brooklyn, the New York Islanders bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anton Forsberg and Thomas Greiss are the backups in goal. New York struck first in the first period on a Ryan Strome goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas. Columbus tied it on a William Karlsson goal, his fourth of the year, with a lone helper from Jack Johnson. The Islanders retook the lead on a Brock Nelson goal, his fifteenth of the season, helped along by Thomas Hickey and Josh Bailey. The Blue Jackets retied it in the second period on an unassisted David Savard goal. New York pulled ahead as Nelson scored his second of the game and sixteenth of the year, thanks to Anders Lee. The Islanders added on with a Brian Strait goal, coming off of John Tavares and Nelson. New York iced it at 5-2 with a Nelson empty net goal, completing his hat trick on his seventeenth of the campaign, going in unassisted on the power play. The three stars belonged to Nelson, Strait, and Strome.
Out west, the St. Louis Blues host the New Jersey Devils. Keith Kinkaid and Brian Elliott occupy the creases. St. Louis started in the first period on a Patrik Berglund power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Alexander Steen and Colton Parayko. New Jersey tied it on a Bobby Farnham goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Stephen Gionta and Adam Larsson. The Devils gained the lead with a Lee Stempniak goal, his tenth of the campaign, made possible by Larsson and Joseph Blandisi. The Blues retied it in the second period as Scottie Upshall scored his fifth of the season, with the help of Troy Brouwer and Steen. St. Louis pulled ahead on a Berglund power play goal, his second of the game and third of the year, with assists provided by Alex Pietrangelo and Jori Lehtera. The Blues added on in the third period with a Ty Rattie goal, guided in by Kevin Shattenkirk and Robby Fabbri. St. Louis iced it at 5-2 with a David Backes empty net goal, his twelfth of the campaign going in unassisted. The three stars were Berglund, Steen, and Rattie.
Up in Winnipeg, the Jets welcome the San Jose Sharks. Alex Stalock and Connor Hellebuyck are the young goalies. San Jose was first to score in the first period on a Chris Tierney shorthanded goal, his fourth of the season, going in unassisted. Winnipeg tied it on a Nikolaj Ehlers power play goal, his seventh of the year, powered by Drew Stafford. The Sharks retook the lead on an unassisted Joe Thornton goal, his ninth of the season. San Jose added on in the third period with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, his twenty-second of the year, powered by Logan Couture and Brent Burns. The Sharks finished it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Joel Ward, his thirteenth of the campaign, set up by Tierney and Paul Martin. The three stars went to Tierney, Stalock (21 for 22 in saves), and Thornton.
Back stateside, the Minnesota Wild bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Linus Ullmark and Devan Dubnyk draw the starts. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Jamie McGinn goal, his ninth of the season, assisted by Evander Kane and Ryan O'Reilly. The Sabres added on with a Rasmus Ristolainen goal, his eighth of the year, courtesy of Brian Gionta. Buffalo extended the lead as Gionta scored his fifth of the campaign, with the help of Josh Gorges and Marcus Foligno. Minnesota got on the board in the second period on a Ryan Suter shorthanded goal, his sixth of the season, set up by Erik Haula and Jared Spurgeon. The Wild got closer in the third period with a Thomas Vanek goal, his fourteenth of the year, coming off of Suter and Mikael Granlund. They failed to tie it, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Gionta, Suter, and Ristolainen.
A little more south, the Chicago Blackhawks host the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Corey Crawford guard the cages. Chicago began in the first period on an Andrew Shaw goal, his seventh of the season, made possible by Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks added on with a Shaw goal in the second period, his second of the game and eighth of the year, via Hossa and Dennis Rasmussen. Chicago extended the lead as Brent Seabrook scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Patrick Kane and Erik Gustafsson. Nashville got on the board with a Mike Ribeiro goal, his fifth of the year, going in unassisted. The Predators got closer in the third period on a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his twelfth of the campaign, powered by Ryan Johansen and Ribeiro. This produced the 3-2 final, with the three stars given to Shaw, Ribeiro, and Hossa.
Westward to Colorado, with the Avalanche welcoming the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Semyon Varlamov protect the nets. Tampa Bay dented the scoreboard in the first period on an Ondrej Palat goal, his third of the season, via Victor Hedman and Alex Killorn. The Lightning added on in the second period with a Steven Stamkos goal, his nineteenth of the year, courtesy of Vladislav Namestnikov and Palat. Tampa Bay extended the lead on another Stamkos goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the season, assisted by Palat and Namestnikov. The Lightning padded the lead in the third period on a Tyler Johnson goal, his fifth of the year, coming off of Hedman and Kucherov. The final held at 4-0, with the three stars awarded to Stamkos, Palat, and Bishop (21 save shutout), while Hedman and Namestnikov get the honorable mentions.
Finally, the Arizona Coyotes bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Anders Nilsson and Louis Domingue are the underrated goalies. Edmonton drew first blood in the first period on a Leon Draisaitl goal, his tenth of the season, fueled by Jordan Eberle and Benoit Pouliot. The Oilers added on in the second period with a Justin Schultz goal in the second period, his third of the year, a power play goal powered by Draisaitl and Eberle. Arizona got on the board with a Max Domi goal, his eleventh of the season, via Michael Stone and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Edmonton replied with a Pouliot power play goal, his tenth of the year, helped along by Schultz and Eberle, the latter getting a sock trick. The Coyotes replied on a Domi power play goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Anthony Duclair and Ekman-Larsson. Arizona tied it on a Domi power play goal, completing his hat trick on his thirteenth of the year, with assists provided by Mikkel Boedker and Ekman-Larsson. The Coyotes won 4-3 in overtime on an Ekman-Larsson goal, his twelfth of the campaign, fueled by Stone on the power play. The three stars went to Ekman-Larsson, Domi, and Pouilot, while Draisaitl, Eberle, Schultz, and Stone get the honorable mentions.
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Monday, January 11, 2016
2015-16 NHL Season - Day 93
Four games today, beginning in...
New York, with the Rangers hosting the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Henrik Lundqvist guard the cages. Boston got going in the second period with a Jimmy Hayes goal, his tenth of the season, via Ryan Spooner and Zdeno Chara. New York tied it on a Derick Brassard goal, his fifteenth of the year, guided in by Mats Zuccarello and Ryan McDonagh in the third period. The Rangers took the lead with a Jesper Fast goal, his seventh of the campaign, assisted by Keith Yandle and Kevin Klein. This produced the 2-1 final, with the three stars going to Lundqvist (32 for 33 in saves), Fast, and Brassard.
Out in Alberta, the Calgary Flames welcome the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Karri Ramo draw the starts in goal. San Jose opened in the first period with a Joe Thornton goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Joe Pavelski. The Sharks added on with a Joonas Donskoi goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Brenden Dillon and Chris Tierney. Calgary got on the board with a Sean Monahan goal, his thirteenth of the season, helped along by Micheal Ferland and Johnny Gaudreau. San Jose answered with an unassisted Logan Couture goal in the second period. The Flames got one back with a Dennis Wideman power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Gaudreau and Mark Giordano. Calgary tied it on a Sam Bennett power play goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Mikael Backlund and T.J. Brodie. The Sharks retook the lead on a Brent Burns power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, with helpers from Patrick Marleau and Thornton. San Jose extended the lead as Joel Ward scored his twelfth of the season, thanks to Burns. The Flames got one back on a Ferland power play goal, his second of the year, dished from Backlund and Dougie Hamilton. The three stars went to Burns, Ferland, and Thornton, while Gaudreau and Backlund get the honorable mentions.
Over to Vancouver, with the Canucks bringing in the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Jacob Markstrom face their former teams. Florida led off in the first period on a Jussi Jokinen goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Reilly Smith. The Panthers added on with a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Aleksander Barkov and Jaromir Jagr. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a Daniel Sedin goal, his eighteenth of the season, passed from Henrik Sedin and Radim Vrbata. The Canucks tied it in the third period as Jake Virtanen scored his second of the year, thanks to Sven Baertschi and Bo Horvat. Vancouver won 3-2 in overtime with a Daniel Sedin power play goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, powered by Henrik Sedin and Alexander Edler. The three stars were Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, and Virtanen.
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Quick are the reliable goalies. Los Angeles began in the first period on a Tyler Toffoli goal, his twentieth of the season, via Anze Kopitar and Milan Lucic. Detroit tied it on a Tomas Tatar goal, his fourteenth of the year, passed from Darren Helm and Pavel Datsyuk. The Red Wings gained the lead with an Alexey Marchenko goal, made possible by Helm and Datsyuk. The Kings tied it in the second period on a Kopitar power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Jake Muzzin and Lucic. Los Angeles took the lead in the third period on an Alec Martinez power play goal, his fifth of the year, with helpers from Drew Doughty and Kopitar. The Kings iced it at 4-2 with a Dwight King empty net goal, his second of the campaign, set up by Kopitar and Doughty. The three stars went to Kopitar, Lucic, and Helm, while Datsyuk and Doughty get the honorable mentions.
Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.
New York, with the Rangers hosting the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Henrik Lundqvist guard the cages. Boston got going in the second period with a Jimmy Hayes goal, his tenth of the season, via Ryan Spooner and Zdeno Chara. New York tied it on a Derick Brassard goal, his fifteenth of the year, guided in by Mats Zuccarello and Ryan McDonagh in the third period. The Rangers took the lead with a Jesper Fast goal, his seventh of the campaign, assisted by Keith Yandle and Kevin Klein. This produced the 2-1 final, with the three stars going to Lundqvist (32 for 33 in saves), Fast, and Brassard.
Out in Alberta, the Calgary Flames welcome the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Karri Ramo draw the starts in goal. San Jose opened in the first period with a Joe Thornton goal, his eighth of the season, coming off of Joe Pavelski. The Sharks added on with a Joonas Donskoi goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Brenden Dillon and Chris Tierney. Calgary got on the board with a Sean Monahan goal, his thirteenth of the season, helped along by Micheal Ferland and Johnny Gaudreau. San Jose answered with an unassisted Logan Couture goal in the second period. The Flames got one back with a Dennis Wideman power play goal, his second of the year, powered by Gaudreau and Mark Giordano. Calgary tied it on a Sam Bennett power play goal, his sixth of the season, guided in by Mikael Backlund and T.J. Brodie. The Sharks retook the lead on a Brent Burns power play goal, his eighteenth of the year, with helpers from Patrick Marleau and Thornton. San Jose extended the lead as Joel Ward scored his twelfth of the season, thanks to Burns. The Flames got one back on a Ferland power play goal, his second of the year, dished from Backlund and Dougie Hamilton. The three stars went to Burns, Ferland, and Thornton, while Gaudreau and Backlund get the honorable mentions.
Over to Vancouver, with the Canucks bringing in the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Jacob Markstrom face their former teams. Florida led off in the first period on a Jussi Jokinen goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Reilly Smith. The Panthers added on with a Jonathan Huberdeau goal, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Aleksander Barkov and Jaromir Jagr. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a Daniel Sedin goal, his eighteenth of the season, passed from Henrik Sedin and Radim Vrbata. The Canucks tied it in the third period as Jake Virtanen scored his second of the year, thanks to Sven Baertschi and Bo Horvat. Vancouver won 3-2 in overtime with a Daniel Sedin power play goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, powered by Henrik Sedin and Alexander Edler. The three stars were Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, and Virtanen.
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Quick are the reliable goalies. Los Angeles began in the first period on a Tyler Toffoli goal, his twentieth of the season, via Anze Kopitar and Milan Lucic. Detroit tied it on a Tomas Tatar goal, his fourteenth of the year, passed from Darren Helm and Pavel Datsyuk. The Red Wings gained the lead with an Alexey Marchenko goal, made possible by Helm and Datsyuk. The Kings tied it in the second period on a Kopitar power play goal, his twelfth of the season, powered by Jake Muzzin and Lucic. Los Angeles took the lead in the third period on an Alec Martinez power play goal, his fifth of the year, with helpers from Drew Doughty and Kopitar. The Kings iced it at 4-2 with a Dwight King empty net goal, his second of the campaign, set up by Kopitar and Doughty. The three stars went to Kopitar, Lucic, and Helm, while Datsyuk and Doughty get the honorable mentions.
Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.
Ten most impressive things about this NHL season
The 2015-16 campaign for the NHL is about halfway done, so it's time to take a look at the highlights of the first half of the season. Obviously, a top-10 list can't touch on all the great things we've seen in the league so far, but here's some of the best.
1. Jaromir Jagr and the Florida Panthers - Most hockey players start to decline in their mid 30s. Jaromir Jagr has never been like most hockey players. Playing with a pair of linemates half his age, Jagr has provided quintessential veteran leadership and star-quality play to see the Panthers leading the Atlantic Division. There's always a question of when the bottom might fall out for older players, but Jagr is showing no signs of slowing down.
2. Patrick Kane's point streak - For the rough offseason Kane had, many questioned if he would be able to shake the distractions. What Kane proceeded to do for much of the first quarter of the season not only shook the allegations against him, but completely changed the narrative around him altogether. Kane rattled off the best point streak for an American-born player, and has continued to by an offensive dynamo with Russians Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov. Even better, he's taken a bunch of pressure off of Jonathan Toews and his linemates.
3. Braden Holtby - With Henrik Lundqvist buckling behind a terrible possession team, and Carey Price spending much of the season injured, Braden Holtby has stepped up to the podium of goaltending excellence. His Washington Capitals teammates have called them their best player, and the numbers indicate that as well. Holtby has a GAA under 2.00 and he's stopping over 93 percent of the shots he faces. The Capitals are miles ahead of the rest of the Metropolitan Division, and Holtby is a huge reason for that.
4. Johnny Gaudreau - The legend of Johnny Hockey has grown in his sophomore year. Avoiding the sophomore slump has seen Gaudreau pick up an All-Star nomination, and it's well earned. His 40 points in 40 games sees him on pace to shatter his 64-point mark from last year. The Calgary Flames team around his has regressed from their highly lucky previous campaign, but Gaudreau has helped to soften the blow significantly as he cements himself as a star in the NHL.
5. Dallas Stars offense - When the Stars traded for Antti Niemi as a challenge for Kari Lehtonen, they were roundly mocked for muddying a clear situation in goal. Neither has produced all that well, but it hasn't mattered all that much. The Stars' trio of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and John Klingberg have all blown opponents out of the water, with the former two in the top three in scoring, while the latter is the second-leading scoring defenseman. The result is high-octane hockey in an era increasingly void of that very thing. It may not be systematically pretty, but it's fun to watch.
6. 3-on-3 overtime - I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical about a change to the overtime system for this season. I personally didn't think a change was needed. I'm also not a big fan of the shootout. Once I saw how the new overtime worked, my mind changed very quickly. The action is thrilling and almost heart-stopping, at least when there's two teams who will lay it all on the line to win. This new overtime has produced great moments this season, especially for some of the league's top stars.
7. The rookie class - Coming into the season, the Calder question looked like a presidential ballot; you either thought McDavid or Eichel had it locked up. With an injury to McDavid and good but not dominant play from Eichel, the race is wide open. Artemi Panarin, Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Connor Hellebuyck, and many more have made the Calder race very interesting. With so many good young players performing at high levels, the league may be seeing their newest crop of superstars develop right now.
8. The Central Division - The teams as they stand today are a bit more separated, but the Stars, Blackhawks, Blues, and Wild are all very good teams that will battle throughout the second half of the season for a playoff spot. On the lower end, the Predators, Avalanche, and Jets will make the race for a second wild card spot very interesting, thanks to the lack of a challenge from the majority of the Pacific Division. Five teams from the Central will probably be in the playoffs, and all of them are going to make it entertaining with regards to how they get there.
9. The New Jersey Devils - Who would have thought going into the season that Mike Cammalleri, Lee Stempniak, and Kyle Palmieri could have such a big impact on a team's success. Clearly, we should be asking Ray Shero about the winning numbers for Wednesday's $1.3 billion jackpot, because he saw something in signing those players that everyone else missed. The Devils narrowly occupy a playoff spot through January 10th, and that's more than anyone expected for the team, which was widely thought to be a major participant in the Auston Matthews chase. With a workhorse goalie in Cory Schneider, the Devils may just be able to hold on and get an unexpected playoff experience, be it good or bad for the long-term development of the team.
10. Vladimir Tarasenko - The human highlight reel that is Tarasenko is a major reason why the St. Louis Blues are staying strong in the Central Division. Tarasenko not only fills the box score, but he provides YouTube with plenty of glorious goals. He's tied for fourth in the league with 24 goals, and many of them have been of the spectacular variety. Even better, he's able to play with a variety of players, allowing the Blues to have flexible lines, which makes them very difficult to defend. While they're not overwhelming anyone as a team, Tarasenko is a must-watch every time he takes the ice.
Is there anything I missed? Let me know what you've liked about this season in the comments.
1. Jaromir Jagr and the Florida Panthers - Most hockey players start to decline in their mid 30s. Jaromir Jagr has never been like most hockey players. Playing with a pair of linemates half his age, Jagr has provided quintessential veteran leadership and star-quality play to see the Panthers leading the Atlantic Division. There's always a question of when the bottom might fall out for older players, but Jagr is showing no signs of slowing down.
2. Patrick Kane's point streak - For the rough offseason Kane had, many questioned if he would be able to shake the distractions. What Kane proceeded to do for much of the first quarter of the season not only shook the allegations against him, but completely changed the narrative around him altogether. Kane rattled off the best point streak for an American-born player, and has continued to by an offensive dynamo with Russians Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov. Even better, he's taken a bunch of pressure off of Jonathan Toews and his linemates.
3. Braden Holtby - With Henrik Lundqvist buckling behind a terrible possession team, and Carey Price spending much of the season injured, Braden Holtby has stepped up to the podium of goaltending excellence. His Washington Capitals teammates have called them their best player, and the numbers indicate that as well. Holtby has a GAA under 2.00 and he's stopping over 93 percent of the shots he faces. The Capitals are miles ahead of the rest of the Metropolitan Division, and Holtby is a huge reason for that.
4. Johnny Gaudreau - The legend of Johnny Hockey has grown in his sophomore year. Avoiding the sophomore slump has seen Gaudreau pick up an All-Star nomination, and it's well earned. His 40 points in 40 games sees him on pace to shatter his 64-point mark from last year. The Calgary Flames team around his has regressed from their highly lucky previous campaign, but Gaudreau has helped to soften the blow significantly as he cements himself as a star in the NHL.
5. Dallas Stars offense - When the Stars traded for Antti Niemi as a challenge for Kari Lehtonen, they were roundly mocked for muddying a clear situation in goal. Neither has produced all that well, but it hasn't mattered all that much. The Stars' trio of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and John Klingberg have all blown opponents out of the water, with the former two in the top three in scoring, while the latter is the second-leading scoring defenseman. The result is high-octane hockey in an era increasingly void of that very thing. It may not be systematically pretty, but it's fun to watch.
6. 3-on-3 overtime - I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical about a change to the overtime system for this season. I personally didn't think a change was needed. I'm also not a big fan of the shootout. Once I saw how the new overtime worked, my mind changed very quickly. The action is thrilling and almost heart-stopping, at least when there's two teams who will lay it all on the line to win. This new overtime has produced great moments this season, especially for some of the league's top stars.
7. The rookie class - Coming into the season, the Calder question looked like a presidential ballot; you either thought McDavid or Eichel had it locked up. With an injury to McDavid and good but not dominant play from Eichel, the race is wide open. Artemi Panarin, Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Connor Hellebuyck, and many more have made the Calder race very interesting. With so many good young players performing at high levels, the league may be seeing their newest crop of superstars develop right now.
8. The Central Division - The teams as they stand today are a bit more separated, but the Stars, Blackhawks, Blues, and Wild are all very good teams that will battle throughout the second half of the season for a playoff spot. On the lower end, the Predators, Avalanche, and Jets will make the race for a second wild card spot very interesting, thanks to the lack of a challenge from the majority of the Pacific Division. Five teams from the Central will probably be in the playoffs, and all of them are going to make it entertaining with regards to how they get there.
9. The New Jersey Devils - Who would have thought going into the season that Mike Cammalleri, Lee Stempniak, and Kyle Palmieri could have such a big impact on a team's success. Clearly, we should be asking Ray Shero about the winning numbers for Wednesday's $1.3 billion jackpot, because he saw something in signing those players that everyone else missed. The Devils narrowly occupy a playoff spot through January 10th, and that's more than anyone expected for the team, which was widely thought to be a major participant in the Auston Matthews chase. With a workhorse goalie in Cory Schneider, the Devils may just be able to hold on and get an unexpected playoff experience, be it good or bad for the long-term development of the team.
10. Vladimir Tarasenko - The human highlight reel that is Tarasenko is a major reason why the St. Louis Blues are staying strong in the Central Division. Tarasenko not only fills the box score, but he provides YouTube with plenty of glorious goals. He's tied for fourth in the league with 24 goals, and many of them have been of the spectacular variety. Even better, he's able to play with a variety of players, allowing the Blues to have flexible lines, which makes them very difficult to defend. While they're not overwhelming anyone as a team, Tarasenko is a must-watch every time he takes the ice.
Is there anything I missed? Let me know what you've liked about this season in the comments.
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