Just two games on today, a day where the NHL is back in full force. We begin with...
Admiral Vladivostok hosting Slovan Bratislava. Michael Garnett and Ivan Nalimov make the starts in goal. Vladivostok opened in the first period with an Alexei Ugarov goal, passed from Oskars Bartulis. Bratislava tied it on an Andrej Stastny goal, made possible by Rok Ticar and Ziga Jeglic. Slovan took the lead with a Michel Miklik goal, with a lone assist by Tomas Surovy. Bratislava added on with another Miklik goal in the third period, assisted by Milan Bartovic and Ivan Svarny. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars going to Miklik, Garnett (26 for 27 in saves), and Stastny.
The other game is up in Khabarovsk, where Amur hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Joakim Lundstrom and Juha Metsola draw the starts. Zagreb started with a Patrick Bjorkstrand goal, via Alexandre Bolduc. Khabarovsk tied it on a Mikhail Zheleznov shorthanded goal, set up by Daniil Stalnov and Evgeny Grachyov. Medvascak took the lead back with a Mike Glumac goal, passed from Stefano Giliati. Evgeny Alikin replaced an injured Metsola shortly after this goal. Amur tied it in the second period with a Grachyov goal, guided in by Vitaly Shulakov. Zagreb took the lead back with a Giliati power play goal, powered by Gilbert Brule. Medvescak added on with a Radek Smolenak power play goal, with a lone assist by Tuukka Mantyla. Zagreb extended the lead as Glumac scored a shorthanded goal in the third period, thanks to Blake Parlett. Khabarovsk pulled back with a Vladislav Ushenin power play goal, helped along by Vyacheslav Ushenin. Gasper Kroselj took over in goal for Lundstrom late in the game. Medvescak answered with an empty net goal by Edwin Hedberg, coming off of Jesse Saarinen. The three stars went to Glumac, Giliati, and Smolenak.
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Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Monday, February 1, 2016
2015/16 KHL Season - Day 135
Seven more games today, with a week to go before another break for the league. The games begin in...
Omsk, as Avangard hosts Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Ilya Proskuryakov and Dominik Furch are the reliable goalies. Omsk got going in the second period with an Artur Lauta power play goal, powered by Vladimir Sobotka and Martin Erat. Nizhny Novgorod tied it with a Nikolai Zherdev goal, passed from Carter Ashton on the power play. Avangard took the lead back with a Pyotr Khokhryakov goal in the third period, assisted by Yury Alexandrov and Ilya Mikheyev. Omsk added on as Nikolai Lemtyugov scored, thanks to Sobotka and Erat on the power play. Avangard iced it at 4-1 with a Khokhryakov goal, his second of the game, courtesy of Anton Burdasov and Denis Parshin on the power play. The three stars went to Khokhryakov, Sobotka, and Erat.
Over to Chelyabinsk, where Traktor welcomes Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Georgy Gelashvili is mismatched with Vasily Demchenko in goal. Khanty-Mansiysk opened in the first period with a Stanislav Kalasnikov power play goal, powered by Kirill Rasskazov and Evgeny Lapenkov. Chelyabinsk tied it in the second period on an Alexei Kruchinin power play goal, assisted by Andrei Popov and Alexei Petrov. Yugra retook the lead in the third period on a Pavel Medvedev goal, with a lone helper from Oleg Yashin. Traktor tied it again as Popov scored, with the help of Alexander Shinin. Khanty-Mansiysk pulled ahead with an Ivan Yatsenko power play goal, guided in by Vitaly Sitnikov and Igor Bortnikov. This held for a 3-2 win, with the three stars going to Popov, Yatsenko, and Medvedev.
Back into Ufa, where Salavat Yulaev brings in Barys Astana. Pavel Poluektov and Niklas Svedberg man the nets. Ufa led off in the first period with an Enver Lisin power play goal, powered by Maxim Goncharov and Maxim Mayorov. Salavat Yulaev added on with a Linus Omark power play goal, fueled by Alexander Loginov and Igor Grigorenko. Astana got one back with a Dustin Boyd power play goal, with a lone assist by Brandon Bochenski. Ufa replied on a Teemu Hartikainen goal, assisted by Sami Lepisto and Mayorov. Barys pulled back on a power play goal in the second period from Mike Lundin, courtesy of Kevin Dallman. Astana tied it as Konstantin Pushkaryov scored, thanks to Maxim Khudyakov and Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev. Salavat Yulaev regained the lead with a Stepan Khripunov goal, coming off of Hartikainen. Barys retied it in the third period on a Nigel Dawes goal, passed from Boyd and Roman Starchenko. Ufa took the lead back on an Oleg Saprykin goal, with a lone helper from Hartikainen. This made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars being Hartikainen, Mayorov, and Boyd.
West a bit to Togliatti, where Lada hosts Dinamo Minsk. Jeff Glass and Edgars Masalskis draw the starts in goal. Togliatti began in the first period with a Viktor Komarov goal, coming off of Ramil Suleimanov. Lada added on with an Alexander Bumagin goal, fueled by Martin Zatovic and Alexei Mastryukov. Minsk got on the board with a Matt Ellison goal, guided in by Alexei Kalyuzhny. Dinamo tied it in the second period with another Ellison goal, made possible by Jonathan Cheechoo and Paul Szczechura. Minsk won 3-2 in overtime on a Kalyuzhny goal, passed from Cheechoo and Dmitry Znakharenko. The three stars were awarded to Ellison, Kalyuzhny, and Cheechoo.
Next up, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk brings in Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Igor Ustinsky and Ivan Lisutin are the goalies. Nizhnekamsk started in the first period with an Igor Volkov power play goal, powered by Evgeny Ryasensky and Andrei Sergeyev. Yekaterinburg tied it with a Tommi Kivisto power play goal, with assists provided by Alexander Torchenyuk and Artyom Gareyev. Neftekhimik retook the lead with a Mikhail Zhukov goal, helped along by Ryan Stoa and Marek Kvapil. Avtomobilist tied it again in the second period on a Petr Koukal goal, guided in by Anatoly Golyshev. Yekaterinburg took the lead with an unassisted Eero Elo goal. Nizhnekamsk tied it with Zhukov's second of the game, coming off of Stoa. Avtomobilist took the win with a seventh round shootout tally from Koukal for the 4-3 win. The three stars were Koukal, Zhukov, and Stoa.
Out to St. Petersburg, where SKA welcomes Jokerit Helsinki. Henrik Karlsson and Mikko Koskinen tend the twines. Helsinki struck first in the first period with a Philip Larsen goal, via Tomi Maki and Jani Rita. St. Petersburg tied it on a Steve Moses goal, fueled by Jarno Koskiranta and Sergei Shirokov on a second period power play. SKA took the lead with a Koskiranta goal in the third period, assisted by Alexander Barabanov and Ilya Kovalchuk. The game ended 2-1 in SKA's favor. The three stars went to Koskiranta, Koskinen (21 for 22 in saves), and Moses.
Back east, we end in Cherepovets, with Severstal hosting Dinamo Riga. Jakub Sedlacek and Roman Smiryagin are the masked men. Riga dented the scoreboard with a Mikelis Redlihs power play goal in the second period, powered by Lauris Darzins and Guntis Galvins. Cherepovets tied it on an Igor Skorokhodov goal, passed from Dmitry Kagarlitsky and Mattias Karlsson on the power play. Dinamo took the lead back in the third period with a Miks Indrasis goal, assisted by Andris Dzerins and Gunars Skvorcovs. Riga added on with another Indrasis goal, going into the empty net set up by Skvorcovs and Galvins. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Indrasis, Skvorcovs, and Sedlacek (34 for 35 in saves), while Galvins gets an honorable mention.
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Omsk, as Avangard hosts Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Ilya Proskuryakov and Dominik Furch are the reliable goalies. Omsk got going in the second period with an Artur Lauta power play goal, powered by Vladimir Sobotka and Martin Erat. Nizhny Novgorod tied it with a Nikolai Zherdev goal, passed from Carter Ashton on the power play. Avangard took the lead back with a Pyotr Khokhryakov goal in the third period, assisted by Yury Alexandrov and Ilya Mikheyev. Omsk added on as Nikolai Lemtyugov scored, thanks to Sobotka and Erat on the power play. Avangard iced it at 4-1 with a Khokhryakov goal, his second of the game, courtesy of Anton Burdasov and Denis Parshin on the power play. The three stars went to Khokhryakov, Sobotka, and Erat.
Over to Chelyabinsk, where Traktor welcomes Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Georgy Gelashvili is mismatched with Vasily Demchenko in goal. Khanty-Mansiysk opened in the first period with a Stanislav Kalasnikov power play goal, powered by Kirill Rasskazov and Evgeny Lapenkov. Chelyabinsk tied it in the second period on an Alexei Kruchinin power play goal, assisted by Andrei Popov and Alexei Petrov. Yugra retook the lead in the third period on a Pavel Medvedev goal, with a lone helper from Oleg Yashin. Traktor tied it again as Popov scored, with the help of Alexander Shinin. Khanty-Mansiysk pulled ahead with an Ivan Yatsenko power play goal, guided in by Vitaly Sitnikov and Igor Bortnikov. This held for a 3-2 win, with the three stars going to Popov, Yatsenko, and Medvedev.
Back into Ufa, where Salavat Yulaev brings in Barys Astana. Pavel Poluektov and Niklas Svedberg man the nets. Ufa led off in the first period with an Enver Lisin power play goal, powered by Maxim Goncharov and Maxim Mayorov. Salavat Yulaev added on with a Linus Omark power play goal, fueled by Alexander Loginov and Igor Grigorenko. Astana got one back with a Dustin Boyd power play goal, with a lone assist by Brandon Bochenski. Ufa replied on a Teemu Hartikainen goal, assisted by Sami Lepisto and Mayorov. Barys pulled back on a power play goal in the second period from Mike Lundin, courtesy of Kevin Dallman. Astana tied it as Konstantin Pushkaryov scored, thanks to Maxim Khudyakov and Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev. Salavat Yulaev regained the lead with a Stepan Khripunov goal, coming off of Hartikainen. Barys retied it in the third period on a Nigel Dawes goal, passed from Boyd and Roman Starchenko. Ufa took the lead back on an Oleg Saprykin goal, with a lone helper from Hartikainen. This made it 5-4, the final, with the three stars being Hartikainen, Mayorov, and Boyd.
West a bit to Togliatti, where Lada hosts Dinamo Minsk. Jeff Glass and Edgars Masalskis draw the starts in goal. Togliatti began in the first period with a Viktor Komarov goal, coming off of Ramil Suleimanov. Lada added on with an Alexander Bumagin goal, fueled by Martin Zatovic and Alexei Mastryukov. Minsk got on the board with a Matt Ellison goal, guided in by Alexei Kalyuzhny. Dinamo tied it in the second period with another Ellison goal, made possible by Jonathan Cheechoo and Paul Szczechura. Minsk won 3-2 in overtime on a Kalyuzhny goal, passed from Cheechoo and Dmitry Znakharenko. The three stars were awarded to Ellison, Kalyuzhny, and Cheechoo.
Next up, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk brings in Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Igor Ustinsky and Ivan Lisutin are the goalies. Nizhnekamsk started in the first period with an Igor Volkov power play goal, powered by Evgeny Ryasensky and Andrei Sergeyev. Yekaterinburg tied it with a Tommi Kivisto power play goal, with assists provided by Alexander Torchenyuk and Artyom Gareyev. Neftekhimik retook the lead with a Mikhail Zhukov goal, helped along by Ryan Stoa and Marek Kvapil. Avtomobilist tied it again in the second period on a Petr Koukal goal, guided in by Anatoly Golyshev. Yekaterinburg took the lead with an unassisted Eero Elo goal. Nizhnekamsk tied it with Zhukov's second of the game, coming off of Stoa. Avtomobilist took the win with a seventh round shootout tally from Koukal for the 4-3 win. The three stars were Koukal, Zhukov, and Stoa.
Out to St. Petersburg, where SKA welcomes Jokerit Helsinki. Henrik Karlsson and Mikko Koskinen tend the twines. Helsinki struck first in the first period with a Philip Larsen goal, via Tomi Maki and Jani Rita. St. Petersburg tied it on a Steve Moses goal, fueled by Jarno Koskiranta and Sergei Shirokov on a second period power play. SKA took the lead with a Koskiranta goal in the third period, assisted by Alexander Barabanov and Ilya Kovalchuk. The game ended 2-1 in SKA's favor. The three stars went to Koskiranta, Koskinen (21 for 22 in saves), and Moses.
Back east, we end in Cherepovets, with Severstal hosting Dinamo Riga. Jakub Sedlacek and Roman Smiryagin are the masked men. Riga dented the scoreboard with a Mikelis Redlihs power play goal in the second period, powered by Lauris Darzins and Guntis Galvins. Cherepovets tied it on an Igor Skorokhodov goal, passed from Dmitry Kagarlitsky and Mattias Karlsson on the power play. Dinamo took the lead back in the third period with a Miks Indrasis goal, assisted by Andris Dzerins and Gunars Skvorcovs. Riga added on with another Indrasis goal, going into the empty net set up by Skvorcovs and Galvins. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars being Indrasis, Skvorcovs, and Sedlacek (34 for 35 in saves), while Galvins gets an honorable mention.
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Sunday, January 31, 2016
The 2015-16 NHL All-Star Game(s)
After a month and a half of John Scott controversies, fan voting, and drawn battle lines, we're finally here, collectively, to celebrate the NHL. Regardless of where we respectively stand, this event is for all of us, the fans. Let us put aside our differences and enjoy the chaos that is to follow in the three 20-minute sessions of All-Star fun. First up...
The Metropolitan and Atlantic Divisions do battle. Roberto Luongo and Braden Holtby tend the twines at first. Metropolitan struck first with a Kris Letang goal, via Evgeni Malkin. Atlantic tied it at with an Erik Karlsson goal, helped along by Dylan Larkin. Metropolitan took the lead back with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, passed from Justin Faulk. Atlantic tied it again as Jaromir Jagr scored, thanks to Larkin. The first half ended tied at 2. Ben Bishop and Cory Schneider will play in the second half in goal. Metropolitan retook the lead in the second half with a Malkin goal, courtesy of Letang and the goalie Schneider. Atlantic tied it again with an Aaron Ekblad goal, set up by Ryan O'Reilly and Leo Komarov. Atlantic took the lead as P.K. Subban scored, with the help of Larkin, who got a sock trick for his efforts, and the goalie Bishop. This stood for a 4-3 Atlantic win, sending them through to the final. The three stars here were Larkin, Malkin, and Bishop (11 for 12 in saves).
The other semifinals is the Pacific and Central Divisions sparring. Pekka Rinne and Jonathan Quick man the nets to begin. Central was first to score with a James Neal goal, via Matt Duchene and Shea Weber. Pacific tied it on a John Scott goal, assisted by Brent Burns. Pacific gained the lead with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, powered by Daniel Sedin and Corey Perry. Central retied it on Neal's second of the game, coming off of Duchene and Weber. Pacific pulled ahead again with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, made possible by Mark Giordano and Taylor Hall. Central pulled even with a Patrick Kane, helped along by Jamie Benn and the goalie Rinne. The first half comes to a close, tied at 3. In the second half, Devan Dubnyk and John Gibson take over in goal. Pacific took the lead in the second half on a Sedin goal, with a lone assist by the goalie Gibson. Pacific added on with Scott's second of the game, guided in by Burns. Pacific extended the lead as Hall scored, with the help of Gaudreau. Pacific padded the lead with Sedin's second of the game, fueled by Perry and Drew Doughty. Central chipped back on a Dustin Byfuglien goal, with helpers provided by Tyler Seguin and Vladimir Tarasenko. Central edged closer with a Seguin goal, with assists from Byfuglien and Tarasenko. Pacific stopped the bleeding with a Hall goal, his second of the game, set up by Gaudreau and Burns, the latter getting a sock trick. Pacific countered with a Doughty empty net goal, with an assist from Pavelski. Central answered on a Roman Josi goal, dished from Seguin and Neal. The Pacific held on for a 9-6 win in this one, with the three stars given to Hall, Scott, and Sedin.
In the final, the Pacific and Atlantic Divisions have the right to fight for $1 million. Roberto Luongo and Jonathan Quick make the starts here. The first half ends without a goal, tied at 0. Ben Bishop and John Gibson will close out the festivities in net. Pacific got going with a Perry goal in the second half, via Sedin and Burns. They held on for a 1-0 win, with the three stars here being Perry, Quick (10 for 10 in saves), and Gibson (6 for 6 in saves).
The overall MVP for the day is John Scott, with his two goals. Regular action returns on Tuesday. As always, follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.
The Metropolitan and Atlantic Divisions do battle. Roberto Luongo and Braden Holtby tend the twines at first. Metropolitan struck first with a Kris Letang goal, via Evgeni Malkin. Atlantic tied it at with an Erik Karlsson goal, helped along by Dylan Larkin. Metropolitan took the lead back with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, passed from Justin Faulk. Atlantic tied it again as Jaromir Jagr scored, thanks to Larkin. The first half ended tied at 2. Ben Bishop and Cory Schneider will play in the second half in goal. Metropolitan retook the lead in the second half with a Malkin goal, courtesy of Letang and the goalie Schneider. Atlantic tied it again with an Aaron Ekblad goal, set up by Ryan O'Reilly and Leo Komarov. Atlantic took the lead as P.K. Subban scored, with the help of Larkin, who got a sock trick for his efforts, and the goalie Bishop. This stood for a 4-3 Atlantic win, sending them through to the final. The three stars here were Larkin, Malkin, and Bishop (11 for 12 in saves).
The other semifinals is the Pacific and Central Divisions sparring. Pekka Rinne and Jonathan Quick man the nets to begin. Central was first to score with a James Neal goal, via Matt Duchene and Shea Weber. Pacific tied it on a John Scott goal, assisted by Brent Burns. Pacific gained the lead with a Joe Pavelski power play goal, powered by Daniel Sedin and Corey Perry. Central retied it on Neal's second of the game, coming off of Duchene and Weber. Pacific pulled ahead again with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, made possible by Mark Giordano and Taylor Hall. Central pulled even with a Patrick Kane, helped along by Jamie Benn and the goalie Rinne. The first half comes to a close, tied at 3. In the second half, Devan Dubnyk and John Gibson take over in goal. Pacific took the lead in the second half on a Sedin goal, with a lone assist by the goalie Gibson. Pacific added on with Scott's second of the game, guided in by Burns. Pacific extended the lead as Hall scored, with the help of Gaudreau. Pacific padded the lead with Sedin's second of the game, fueled by Perry and Drew Doughty. Central chipped back on a Dustin Byfuglien goal, with helpers provided by Tyler Seguin and Vladimir Tarasenko. Central edged closer with a Seguin goal, with assists from Byfuglien and Tarasenko. Pacific stopped the bleeding with a Hall goal, his second of the game, set up by Gaudreau and Burns, the latter getting a sock trick. Pacific countered with a Doughty empty net goal, with an assist from Pavelski. Central answered on a Roman Josi goal, dished from Seguin and Neal. The Pacific held on for a 9-6 win in this one, with the three stars given to Hall, Scott, and Sedin.
In the final, the Pacific and Atlantic Divisions have the right to fight for $1 million. Roberto Luongo and Jonathan Quick make the starts here. The first half ends without a goal, tied at 0. Ben Bishop and John Gibson will close out the festivities in net. Pacific got going with a Perry goal in the second half, via Sedin and Burns. They held on for a 1-0 win, with the three stars here being Perry, Quick (10 for 10 in saves), and Gibson (6 for 6 in saves).
The overall MVP for the day is John Scott, with his two goals. Regular action returns on Tuesday. As always, follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.
2015/16 KHL Season - Day 134
Seven games on for today, beginning with...
Amur Khabarovsk hosting Vityaz Podolsk. Igor Saprykin and Juha Metsola are in goal. Podolsk began in the first period with a Vyacheslav Solodukhin goal, made possible by Georgy Berdyukov. Vityaz added on with a Maxim Afinogenov goal, assisted by Alexander Nikulin and Alexei Makeyev. Podolsk extended the lead as Solodukhin scored his second of the game in the second period, a power play goal powered by Berdyukov. Khabarovsk got on the board in the third period with an Evgeny Grachyov goal, passed from Pavel Dedunov and Vitaly Atyushov. Vityaz replied with a Roman Horak power play goal, with a lone assist by Teemu Eronen. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars being Solodukhin, Saprykin (51 for 52 in saves), and Berdyukov.
Down in Vladivostok, Admiral welcomes Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Yeryomenko and Igor Bobkov draw the starts in goal. Vladivostok led off in the first period on a Dmitry Lugin power play goal, powered by Oskars Bartulis and Mikhail Fisenko. Moscow tied it with a second period Artyom Fyodorov power play goal, guided in by Alexei Tsvetkov and Ansel Galimov. Admiral retook the lead on a shorthanded Artyom Podshendyalov goal, set up by Alexander Kuznetsov. Dynamo tied it on a Galimov goal, going in unassisted. Moscow took the lead on a Maxim Karpov goal, helped along by Dmitry Sinitsyn and Andrei Alexeyev. Dynamo added on with a Fyodorov power play goal, with assists provided by Tsvetkov and Dmitry Vishnevsky in the third period. Moscow made it 5-2 with an Ilya Shipov empty net goal, courtesy of Alexei Tereshchenko. The three stars were handed to Fyodorov, Galimov, and Tsvetkov.
A bit west, Metallurg Novokuznetsk brings in Medvescak Zagreb. Gasper Kroselj and Vladislav Podyapolsky are in the blue paint. Novokuznetsk started in the first period on a Robert Kousal power play goal, powered by Roman Manukhov and Cade Fairchild. Zagreb tied it on an Adam Deutsch goal, via Alexandre Bolduc and Mark Katic. Metallurg retook the lead in the second period as Ilya Musin scored, with the help of Kousal and Fairchild on the power play. Novokuznetsk added on with a Manukhov goal, fueled by Fairchild, who got a sock trick. Metallurg extended the lead in the third period with a Mikhail Plotnikov goal, passed from Anton Kapotov and Pavel Makarenko. Novokuznetsk closed with a 5-1 win on a Fairchild goal, coming off of Makarenko and Kirill Semyonov shorthanded into the empty net. The three stars went to Fairchild, Kousal, and Manukhov, while Makarenko and Podyapolsky (28 for 29 in saves).
Nearby in Novosibirsk, Sibir hosts Slovan Bratislava. Barry Brust and Alexander Salak are between the pipes. Novosibirsk opened in the first period on a David Ullstrom power play goal, powered by Georgy Misharin. Bratislava tied it on a Lukas Kaspar power play goal in the second period, with a lone helper from Cam Barker. Slovan took the lead with an Andrej Stastny goal, assisted by Tomas Surovy. Sibir tied it on a Maxim Shalunov goal, passed from Maxim Ignatovich. Novosibirsk retook the lead on a shorthanded Shalunov goal in the third period, his second of the game, set up by Vitaly Menshikov and Stepan Sannikov. This held for a 3-2 win, with the three stars awarded to Shalunov, Salak (42 for 44 in saves), and Ullstrom.
Way out to Moscow, with Spartak bringing in cross-town rivals CSKA. Viktor Fasth and Denis Sinyagin are the backups in goal. Spartak was first to score in the first period on a Sergei Shmelyov goal, assisted by Casey Wellman and Alexander Mereskin. CSKA tied it with an Andrei Svetlakov goal in the second period, guided in by Geoff Platt and Alexander Radulov. Spartak took the lead back with an Evgeny Bodrov goal, passed from Charles Genoway and Gleb Klimenko. CSKA tied it again as Nikita Zaitsev scored a power play goal, thanks to Radulov. CSKA gained the lead with another Svetlakov power play goal, with a lone assist by Radulov, who got a sock trick. CSKA made it 4-2, the final, on a Radulov power play goal, made possible by Stephane Da Costa. The three stars went to Radulov, Svetlakov, and Zaitsev.
Back to Yaroslavl, where Lokomotiv welcomes the Sochi Leopards. Konstantin Barulin and Vitaly Kolesnik are starting in goal. Sochi struck first with a Mikhail Anisin goal, fueled by Dmitry Kazionov. Yaroslavl tied it on a Yegor Averin power play goal, helped along by Jiri Novotny. Lokomotiv pulled ahead on an Averin goal in the second period, coming off of Daniil Apalkov. The Leopards tied it with an Andre Petersson goal, via Janne Jalasvaara and Ben Maxwell. Sochi pulled ahead again with a Maxwell goal, made possible by Petersson and Evgeny Skachkov. Yaroslavl tied it again with a shorthanded goal by Mikhail Grigoryev, set up by Kirill Kapustin. The Leopards took the lead in the third period with a Skachkov power play goal, assisted by Ziyat Paigin. Sochi added on with a Renat Mamashev goal, guided in by Skachkov. The Leopards closed with a 6-3 win on a Paigin power play goal, helped along by Andrei Kostitsyn and Mamashev. The three stars went to Skachkov, Petersson, and Averin, while Maxwell, Paigin, and Mamashev get the honorable mentions.
Finally, Ak Bars Kazan hosts Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasily Koshechkin and Emil Garipov guard the cages. Magnitogorsk drew first blood in the first period with a Wojtek Wolski goal, assisted by Sergei Tereshchenko and Oskar Osala. This lasted for a 1-0 Metallurg win. The three stars belonged to Koshechkin (31 save shutout), Wolski, and Garipov (31 for 32 in saves).
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Amur Khabarovsk hosting Vityaz Podolsk. Igor Saprykin and Juha Metsola are in goal. Podolsk began in the first period with a Vyacheslav Solodukhin goal, made possible by Georgy Berdyukov. Vityaz added on with a Maxim Afinogenov goal, assisted by Alexander Nikulin and Alexei Makeyev. Podolsk extended the lead as Solodukhin scored his second of the game in the second period, a power play goal powered by Berdyukov. Khabarovsk got on the board in the third period with an Evgeny Grachyov goal, passed from Pavel Dedunov and Vitaly Atyushov. Vityaz replied with a Roman Horak power play goal, with a lone assist by Teemu Eronen. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars being Solodukhin, Saprykin (51 for 52 in saves), and Berdyukov.
Down in Vladivostok, Admiral welcomes Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Yeryomenko and Igor Bobkov draw the starts in goal. Vladivostok led off in the first period on a Dmitry Lugin power play goal, powered by Oskars Bartulis and Mikhail Fisenko. Moscow tied it with a second period Artyom Fyodorov power play goal, guided in by Alexei Tsvetkov and Ansel Galimov. Admiral retook the lead on a shorthanded Artyom Podshendyalov goal, set up by Alexander Kuznetsov. Dynamo tied it on a Galimov goal, going in unassisted. Moscow took the lead on a Maxim Karpov goal, helped along by Dmitry Sinitsyn and Andrei Alexeyev. Dynamo added on with a Fyodorov power play goal, with assists provided by Tsvetkov and Dmitry Vishnevsky in the third period. Moscow made it 5-2 with an Ilya Shipov empty net goal, courtesy of Alexei Tereshchenko. The three stars were handed to Fyodorov, Galimov, and Tsvetkov.
A bit west, Metallurg Novokuznetsk brings in Medvescak Zagreb. Gasper Kroselj and Vladislav Podyapolsky are in the blue paint. Novokuznetsk started in the first period on a Robert Kousal power play goal, powered by Roman Manukhov and Cade Fairchild. Zagreb tied it on an Adam Deutsch goal, via Alexandre Bolduc and Mark Katic. Metallurg retook the lead in the second period as Ilya Musin scored, with the help of Kousal and Fairchild on the power play. Novokuznetsk added on with a Manukhov goal, fueled by Fairchild, who got a sock trick. Metallurg extended the lead in the third period with a Mikhail Plotnikov goal, passed from Anton Kapotov and Pavel Makarenko. Novokuznetsk closed with a 5-1 win on a Fairchild goal, coming off of Makarenko and Kirill Semyonov shorthanded into the empty net. The three stars went to Fairchild, Kousal, and Manukhov, while Makarenko and Podyapolsky (28 for 29 in saves).
Nearby in Novosibirsk, Sibir hosts Slovan Bratislava. Barry Brust and Alexander Salak are between the pipes. Novosibirsk opened in the first period on a David Ullstrom power play goal, powered by Georgy Misharin. Bratislava tied it on a Lukas Kaspar power play goal in the second period, with a lone helper from Cam Barker. Slovan took the lead with an Andrej Stastny goal, assisted by Tomas Surovy. Sibir tied it on a Maxim Shalunov goal, passed from Maxim Ignatovich. Novosibirsk retook the lead on a shorthanded Shalunov goal in the third period, his second of the game, set up by Vitaly Menshikov and Stepan Sannikov. This held for a 3-2 win, with the three stars awarded to Shalunov, Salak (42 for 44 in saves), and Ullstrom.
Way out to Moscow, with Spartak bringing in cross-town rivals CSKA. Viktor Fasth and Denis Sinyagin are the backups in goal. Spartak was first to score in the first period on a Sergei Shmelyov goal, assisted by Casey Wellman and Alexander Mereskin. CSKA tied it with an Andrei Svetlakov goal in the second period, guided in by Geoff Platt and Alexander Radulov. Spartak took the lead back with an Evgeny Bodrov goal, passed from Charles Genoway and Gleb Klimenko. CSKA tied it again as Nikita Zaitsev scored a power play goal, thanks to Radulov. CSKA gained the lead with another Svetlakov power play goal, with a lone assist by Radulov, who got a sock trick. CSKA made it 4-2, the final, on a Radulov power play goal, made possible by Stephane Da Costa. The three stars went to Radulov, Svetlakov, and Zaitsev.
Back to Yaroslavl, where Lokomotiv welcomes the Sochi Leopards. Konstantin Barulin and Vitaly Kolesnik are starting in goal. Sochi struck first with a Mikhail Anisin goal, fueled by Dmitry Kazionov. Yaroslavl tied it on a Yegor Averin power play goal, helped along by Jiri Novotny. Lokomotiv pulled ahead on an Averin goal in the second period, coming off of Daniil Apalkov. The Leopards tied it with an Andre Petersson goal, via Janne Jalasvaara and Ben Maxwell. Sochi pulled ahead again with a Maxwell goal, made possible by Petersson and Evgeny Skachkov. Yaroslavl tied it again with a shorthanded goal by Mikhail Grigoryev, set up by Kirill Kapustin. The Leopards took the lead in the third period with a Skachkov power play goal, assisted by Ziyat Paigin. Sochi added on with a Renat Mamashev goal, guided in by Skachkov. The Leopards closed with a 6-3 win on a Paigin power play goal, helped along by Andrei Kostitsyn and Mamashev. The three stars went to Skachkov, Petersson, and Averin, while Maxwell, Paigin, and Mamashev get the honorable mentions.
Finally, Ak Bars Kazan hosts Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasily Koshechkin and Emil Garipov guard the cages. Magnitogorsk drew first blood in the first period with a Wojtek Wolski goal, assisted by Sergei Tereshchenko and Oskar Osala. This lasted for a 1-0 Metallurg win. The three stars belonged to Koshechkin (31 save shutout), Wolski, and Garipov (31 for 32 in saves).
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Saturday, January 30, 2016
2015/16 KHL Season - Day 133
Just two games on the slate today. We begin in...
Khanty-Mansiysk, as Yugra hosts Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Igor Ustinsky and Vladislav Fokin make the starts. Khanty-Manisysk got going in the second period with a shorthanded Evgeny Orlov goal, set up by Vitaly Sitnikov. Yekaterinburg tied it with a Petr Koukal shorthanded goal, passed from Nikolai Timashov. The tie went to a shootout, where Andrei Alexeyev and Koukal tallied to give Avtomobilist the 2-1 win. The three stars went to Koukal, Ustinsky (27 for 28 in saves), and Orlov.
The other game is Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod hosting Dinamo Riga. Jakub Sedlacek and Ilya Proskuryakov are the masked men. Riga drew first blood in the first period with an Andris Dzerins power play goal, powered by Gunars Skvorcovs and Guntis Galvins. Nizhny Novgorod tied it on an Evgeny Mozer goal, assisted by Kaspars Daugavins. Torpedo took the lead in the second period as Daugavins scored a power play goal, with a lone helper from Dmitry Semin. Nizhny Novgorod added on with a Carl Klingberg goal in the third period, going in unassisted. Torpedo made it 4-1 with an Alexei Sopin goal, courtesy of Maxim Osipov. This stood as the final, with the three stars given to Daugavins, Proskuryakov (15 for 16 in saves), and Klingberg.
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Khanty-Mansiysk, as Yugra hosts Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Igor Ustinsky and Vladislav Fokin make the starts. Khanty-Manisysk got going in the second period with a shorthanded Evgeny Orlov goal, set up by Vitaly Sitnikov. Yekaterinburg tied it with a Petr Koukal shorthanded goal, passed from Nikolai Timashov. The tie went to a shootout, where Andrei Alexeyev and Koukal tallied to give Avtomobilist the 2-1 win. The three stars went to Koukal, Ustinsky (27 for 28 in saves), and Orlov.
The other game is Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod hosting Dinamo Riga. Jakub Sedlacek and Ilya Proskuryakov are the masked men. Riga drew first blood in the first period with an Andris Dzerins power play goal, powered by Gunars Skvorcovs and Guntis Galvins. Nizhny Novgorod tied it on an Evgeny Mozer goal, assisted by Kaspars Daugavins. Torpedo took the lead in the second period as Daugavins scored a power play goal, with a lone helper from Dmitry Semin. Nizhny Novgorod added on with a Carl Klingberg goal in the third period, going in unassisted. Torpedo made it 4-1 with an Alexei Sopin goal, courtesy of Maxim Osipov. This stood as the final, with the three stars given to Daugavins, Proskuryakov (15 for 16 in saves), and Klingberg.
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Friday, January 29, 2016
2015/16 KHL Season - Day 132
Eleven games on today to fill the hole in our hockey hearts during the NHL All-Star Break. The KHL sees the slate start in...
Khabarovsk, as Amur hosts Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Lazushin and Alexander Pechursky are in the creases. Moscow led off in the first period with a Dmitry Vishnevsky power play goal, powered by Alexei Tsvetkov and Mat Robinson. Khabarovsk tied it on an Akim Aliu power play goal, helped along by Tom Wandell and Tomas Zohorna. Amur took the lead on a Vyacheslav Litovchenko goal, passed from Niclas Bergfors and Evgeny Kurbatov. Dynamo retied it with a second period power play goal by Alexander Osipov goal, guided in by Maxim Pestushko and Andrei Mironov. Moscow took the lead on an Ansel Galimov goal, fueled by Tsvetkov and Artyom Fyodorov on the power play. Dynamo added on with a Fyodorov goal in the third period, assisted by Denis Barantsev and Galimov. Moscow extended the lead as Konstantin Gorovikov scored, thanks to Yury Babenko and Vladimir Bryukvin. This stood for a 5-2 win, with the three stars going to Galimov, Fyodorov, and Tsvetkov.
Down in Vladivostok, Admiral welcomes Vityaz Podolsk. Igor Saprykin and Ivan Nalimov are set to start in goal. Podolsk struck first in the first period with an Alexander Nikulin power play goal, powered by Maxim Afinogenov and Alexei Makeyev. Vityaz added on with a Nikita Vyglazov goal, with a lone assist by Artyom Shvets-Rogovoi. Vladivostok got on the board with a Konstantin Makarov goal, made possible by Alexander Kuznetsov. Admiral tied it on a Jonathon Blum power play goal, with helpers provided by Viktor Alexandrov and Mikhail Fisenko. Podolsk retook the lead on an Anton Korolyov goal, coming off of Alexander Kucheryavenko. Vladivostok tied it again in the third period with a Dmitry Lugin power play goal, courtesy of Alexandrov and Blum. In the shootout, Alexandrov and Blum came through again to give Admiral the 4-3 win. The three stars were awarded to Blum, Alexandrov, and Lugin.
West a bit to Novokuznetsk, where Metallurg brings in Slovan Bratislava. Barry Brust and Vladislav Podyapolsky are the goalies. Bratislava began in the first period with a power play goal by Andrej Stastny, powered by Rok Ticar and Ziga Jeglic. Novokuznetsk tied it in the second period on a Robert Kousal goal, via Cade Fairchild and Alexander Romanov. Slovan took the lead with a Jeglic goal, passed from Stastny and Tomas Starosta. Metallurg tied it again with an Ignat Zemchenko goal, fueled by Mikhail Plotnikov and Kirill Lebedev. Bratislava gained the lead in the third period as Tomas Kundratek scored a power play goal, with a lone assist by Lukas Kaspar. This stood for the 3-2 win, with the three stars going to Jeglic, Stastny, and Kundratek.
Nearby, Sibir Novosibirsk hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Danny Taylor and Alexander Salak draw the starts. Novosibirsk started with a Maxim Shalunov goal in the first period, assisted by Sergei Shumakov. Sibir added on with a David Ullstrom goal, passed from Ivan Vereshchagin and Artyom Voroshilo in the second period. Novosibirsk chased Taylor on a Georgy Misharin goal, via Konstantin Okulov and Igor Fefelov. Gasper Kroselj replaced Taylor in goal. Sibir extended the lead as Vereshchagin scored, thanks to Voroshilo. Novosibirsk padded the lead in the third period with a Stepan Sannikov power play goal, powered by Shumakov and Shalunov. Sibir capped it at 6-0 with an Alexei Yakovlev goal, with a lone helper from Fefelov. The three stars belonged to Shalunov, Vereshchagin, and Salak (35 save shutout), while Shumakov, Voroshilo, and Fefelov get the honorable mentions.
Further west, Traktor Chelyabinsk welcomes Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasilys Koshechkin and Demchenko guard the cages. Chelyabinsk opened with an Alexander Sharov goal, going in unassisted in the first period. Traktor added on with an Alexei Kruchinin goal, coming off of Vladimir Denisov. Magnitogorsk got on the board in the second period with a Yaroslav Kosov goal, assisted by Chris Lee. Metallurg tied it in the third period with Kosov's second of the game, passed from Yaroslav Khabarov and Alexander Semin. Chelyabinsk took the lead back on an Alexei Petrov goal, helped along by Maxim Yakutsenya. Magnitogorsk tied it again with a Wojtek Wolski goal, set up by Tomas Filippi. The tie went to a shootout, where Danis Zaripov secured a 4-3 win for Metallurg. The three stars went to Kosov, Wolski, and Zaripov.
Back in Ufa, Salavat Yulaev brings in Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Ivan Lisutin and Niklas Svedberg are between the pipes. Nizhnekamsk was first to score in the first period on a Bogdan Yakimov goal, assisted by Evgeny Grigorenko and Dan Sexton. Ufa tied it in the second period on a Maxim Mayorov goal, helped along by Roman Derlyuk and Alexander Loginov. Neftekhimik won 2-1 in overtime as Sexton buried a penalty shot he received after being hooked by Teemu Hartikainen. The three stars were Sexton, Lisutin (34 for 35 in saves), and Svedberg (31 for 33 in saves).
Along to Togliatti, where Lada hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Anton Krasotkin and Edgars Masalskis are the goalies. Yaroslavl started in the first period with an unassisted Andrei Sigaryov goal. Lokomotiv added on with an Alexander Polunin goal, guided in by Staffan Kronwall and Yegor Korshkov. Togliatti got on the board with a Stanislav Bocharov goal, passed from Rafael Akhmetov and Vasily Streltsov in the second period. Yaroslavl countered on a Kirill Kapustin goal, via Daniil Romantsev. Lada chipped back with a power play goal by Viktor Komarov, powered by Anton Shenfeld. Lokomotiv replied with a Romantsev goal, helped along by Sigaryov in the third period. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Sigaryov, Romantsev, and Kapustin.
Next up, Ak Bars Kazan welcomes the Sochi Leopards. Konstantin Barulin and Stanislav Galimov tend the twines. Sochi led off in the first period with an Andre Petersson power play goal, powered by Ziyat Paigin and Igor Ignatushkin. The Leopards added on with an Ilya Krikunov goal, passed from Ignatushkin on the power play. Kazan got on the board with a Roman Abrosimov power play goal in the second period, guided in by Denis Golubev and Konstantin Korneyev. Sochi shot back with Petersson's second of the game, via Clay Wilson and Evgeny Skachkov. The Leopards extended the lead as Ben Maxwell scored, with the help of Petersson and Skachkov. Sochi padded the lead on a Krikunov goal, his second of the game, coming off of Paigin and Ignatushkin, with the latter getting a sock trick. Ak Bars replied on a Mattias Sjogren goal in the third period, going in unassisted. The Leopards finished it at 6-2 with an Andrei Kostitsyn power play goal, with helpers credited to Renat Mamashev and Ignatushkin. The three stars went to Petersson, Ignatushkin, and Krikunov, while Paigin and Skachkov get the honorable mentions.
Into Moscow, where CSKA brings in Jokerit Helsinki. Henrik Karlsson and Ilya Sorokin are the solid goalies. Helsinki began in the first period with a Juhamatti Aaltonen goal, courtesy of Tim Kennedy and Niko Kapanen on the power play. Moscow tied it on a second period Andrei Svetlakov goal, coming off of Kirill Vorobyov and Alexander Radulov. CSKA took the lead in the third period with an Ivan Telegin goal, guided in by Radulov. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Radulov, Sorokin (18 for 19 in saves), and Telegin.
Out in St. Petersburg, SKA welcomes Severstal Cherepovets. Sergei Magarilov and Mikko Koskinen protect the nets. Cherepovets opened in the first period with an Anatoly Nikontsev goal, assisted by Maxim Trunyov and Vadim Berdnikov. St. Petersburg tied it with a Vadim Shipachyov goal, fueled by Ilya Kovalchuk and Jarno Koskiranta. SKA took the lead with a Steve Moses power play goal, with a lone assist by Sergei Shirokov. St. Petersburg added on with an Evgeny Dadonov power play goal, powered by Kovalchuk and Nikita Gusev. SKA extended the lead in the second period as Pavel Buchnevich scored, thanks to Anton Belov and Gusev. St. Petersburg padded the lead with a Kovalchuk power play goal, helped along by Koskiranta and Shirokov. SKA kept going in the third period on another Buchnevich goal, made possible by Gusev, who got a sock trick, and Dadonov on the power play. This produced the 6-1 final, with the three stars going to Buchnevich, Dadonov, and Gusev, while Kovalchuk, Koskiranta, and Shirokov get the honorable mentions.
Finally, in Minsk, Dinamo brings in Spartak Moscow. Denis Sinyagin and Jeff Glass receive the starting nods in goal. Moscow got going with an unassisted Konstantin Glazachev power play goal in the second period. Minsk tied it in the third period with an Alexei Kalyuzhny power play goal, powered by Matt Ellison. In the shootout, Igor Radulov of Spartak and Andrei Stepanov of Dinamo cancelled each other out early on, followed by Ellison matched by Igor Levitsky in the fifth round. Ellison scored again in the sixth round to secure a 2-1 Dinamo win. The three stars belonged to Ellison, Glass (27 for 28 in saves), and Sinyagin (23 for 24 in saves).
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Khabarovsk, as Amur hosts Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Lazushin and Alexander Pechursky are in the creases. Moscow led off in the first period with a Dmitry Vishnevsky power play goal, powered by Alexei Tsvetkov and Mat Robinson. Khabarovsk tied it on an Akim Aliu power play goal, helped along by Tom Wandell and Tomas Zohorna. Amur took the lead on a Vyacheslav Litovchenko goal, passed from Niclas Bergfors and Evgeny Kurbatov. Dynamo retied it with a second period power play goal by Alexander Osipov goal, guided in by Maxim Pestushko and Andrei Mironov. Moscow took the lead on an Ansel Galimov goal, fueled by Tsvetkov and Artyom Fyodorov on the power play. Dynamo added on with a Fyodorov goal in the third period, assisted by Denis Barantsev and Galimov. Moscow extended the lead as Konstantin Gorovikov scored, thanks to Yury Babenko and Vladimir Bryukvin. This stood for a 5-2 win, with the three stars going to Galimov, Fyodorov, and Tsvetkov.
Down in Vladivostok, Admiral welcomes Vityaz Podolsk. Igor Saprykin and Ivan Nalimov are set to start in goal. Podolsk struck first in the first period with an Alexander Nikulin power play goal, powered by Maxim Afinogenov and Alexei Makeyev. Vityaz added on with a Nikita Vyglazov goal, with a lone assist by Artyom Shvets-Rogovoi. Vladivostok got on the board with a Konstantin Makarov goal, made possible by Alexander Kuznetsov. Admiral tied it on a Jonathon Blum power play goal, with helpers provided by Viktor Alexandrov and Mikhail Fisenko. Podolsk retook the lead on an Anton Korolyov goal, coming off of Alexander Kucheryavenko. Vladivostok tied it again in the third period with a Dmitry Lugin power play goal, courtesy of Alexandrov and Blum. In the shootout, Alexandrov and Blum came through again to give Admiral the 4-3 win. The three stars were awarded to Blum, Alexandrov, and Lugin.
West a bit to Novokuznetsk, where Metallurg brings in Slovan Bratislava. Barry Brust and Vladislav Podyapolsky are the goalies. Bratislava began in the first period with a power play goal by Andrej Stastny, powered by Rok Ticar and Ziga Jeglic. Novokuznetsk tied it in the second period on a Robert Kousal goal, via Cade Fairchild and Alexander Romanov. Slovan took the lead with a Jeglic goal, passed from Stastny and Tomas Starosta. Metallurg tied it again with an Ignat Zemchenko goal, fueled by Mikhail Plotnikov and Kirill Lebedev. Bratislava gained the lead in the third period as Tomas Kundratek scored a power play goal, with a lone assist by Lukas Kaspar. This stood for the 3-2 win, with the three stars going to Jeglic, Stastny, and Kundratek.
Nearby, Sibir Novosibirsk hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Danny Taylor and Alexander Salak draw the starts. Novosibirsk started with a Maxim Shalunov goal in the first period, assisted by Sergei Shumakov. Sibir added on with a David Ullstrom goal, passed from Ivan Vereshchagin and Artyom Voroshilo in the second period. Novosibirsk chased Taylor on a Georgy Misharin goal, via Konstantin Okulov and Igor Fefelov. Gasper Kroselj replaced Taylor in goal. Sibir extended the lead as Vereshchagin scored, thanks to Voroshilo. Novosibirsk padded the lead in the third period with a Stepan Sannikov power play goal, powered by Shumakov and Shalunov. Sibir capped it at 6-0 with an Alexei Yakovlev goal, with a lone helper from Fefelov. The three stars belonged to Shalunov, Vereshchagin, and Salak (35 save shutout), while Shumakov, Voroshilo, and Fefelov get the honorable mentions.
Further west, Traktor Chelyabinsk welcomes Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasilys Koshechkin and Demchenko guard the cages. Chelyabinsk opened with an Alexander Sharov goal, going in unassisted in the first period. Traktor added on with an Alexei Kruchinin goal, coming off of Vladimir Denisov. Magnitogorsk got on the board in the second period with a Yaroslav Kosov goal, assisted by Chris Lee. Metallurg tied it in the third period with Kosov's second of the game, passed from Yaroslav Khabarov and Alexander Semin. Chelyabinsk took the lead back on an Alexei Petrov goal, helped along by Maxim Yakutsenya. Magnitogorsk tied it again with a Wojtek Wolski goal, set up by Tomas Filippi. The tie went to a shootout, where Danis Zaripov secured a 4-3 win for Metallurg. The three stars went to Kosov, Wolski, and Zaripov.
Back in Ufa, Salavat Yulaev brings in Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Ivan Lisutin and Niklas Svedberg are between the pipes. Nizhnekamsk was first to score in the first period on a Bogdan Yakimov goal, assisted by Evgeny Grigorenko and Dan Sexton. Ufa tied it in the second period on a Maxim Mayorov goal, helped along by Roman Derlyuk and Alexander Loginov. Neftekhimik won 2-1 in overtime as Sexton buried a penalty shot he received after being hooked by Teemu Hartikainen. The three stars were Sexton, Lisutin (34 for 35 in saves), and Svedberg (31 for 33 in saves).
Along to Togliatti, where Lada hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Anton Krasotkin and Edgars Masalskis are the goalies. Yaroslavl started in the first period with an unassisted Andrei Sigaryov goal. Lokomotiv added on with an Alexander Polunin goal, guided in by Staffan Kronwall and Yegor Korshkov. Togliatti got on the board with a Stanislav Bocharov goal, passed from Rafael Akhmetov and Vasily Streltsov in the second period. Yaroslavl countered on a Kirill Kapustin goal, via Daniil Romantsev. Lada chipped back with a power play goal by Viktor Komarov, powered by Anton Shenfeld. Lokomotiv replied with a Romantsev goal, helped along by Sigaryov in the third period. This made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Sigaryov, Romantsev, and Kapustin.
Next up, Ak Bars Kazan welcomes the Sochi Leopards. Konstantin Barulin and Stanislav Galimov tend the twines. Sochi led off in the first period with an Andre Petersson power play goal, powered by Ziyat Paigin and Igor Ignatushkin. The Leopards added on with an Ilya Krikunov goal, passed from Ignatushkin on the power play. Kazan got on the board with a Roman Abrosimov power play goal in the second period, guided in by Denis Golubev and Konstantin Korneyev. Sochi shot back with Petersson's second of the game, via Clay Wilson and Evgeny Skachkov. The Leopards extended the lead as Ben Maxwell scored, with the help of Petersson and Skachkov. Sochi padded the lead on a Krikunov goal, his second of the game, coming off of Paigin and Ignatushkin, with the latter getting a sock trick. Ak Bars replied on a Mattias Sjogren goal in the third period, going in unassisted. The Leopards finished it at 6-2 with an Andrei Kostitsyn power play goal, with helpers credited to Renat Mamashev and Ignatushkin. The three stars went to Petersson, Ignatushkin, and Krikunov, while Paigin and Skachkov get the honorable mentions.
Into Moscow, where CSKA brings in Jokerit Helsinki. Henrik Karlsson and Ilya Sorokin are the solid goalies. Helsinki began in the first period with a Juhamatti Aaltonen goal, courtesy of Tim Kennedy and Niko Kapanen on the power play. Moscow tied it on a second period Andrei Svetlakov goal, coming off of Kirill Vorobyov and Alexander Radulov. CSKA took the lead in the third period with an Ivan Telegin goal, guided in by Radulov. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Radulov, Sorokin (18 for 19 in saves), and Telegin.
Out in St. Petersburg, SKA welcomes Severstal Cherepovets. Sergei Magarilov and Mikko Koskinen protect the nets. Cherepovets opened in the first period with an Anatoly Nikontsev goal, assisted by Maxim Trunyov and Vadim Berdnikov. St. Petersburg tied it with a Vadim Shipachyov goal, fueled by Ilya Kovalchuk and Jarno Koskiranta. SKA took the lead with a Steve Moses power play goal, with a lone assist by Sergei Shirokov. St. Petersburg added on with an Evgeny Dadonov power play goal, powered by Kovalchuk and Nikita Gusev. SKA extended the lead in the second period as Pavel Buchnevich scored, thanks to Anton Belov and Gusev. St. Petersburg padded the lead with a Kovalchuk power play goal, helped along by Koskiranta and Shirokov. SKA kept going in the third period on another Buchnevich goal, made possible by Gusev, who got a sock trick, and Dadonov on the power play. This produced the 6-1 final, with the three stars going to Buchnevich, Dadonov, and Gusev, while Kovalchuk, Koskiranta, and Shirokov get the honorable mentions.
Finally, in Minsk, Dinamo brings in Spartak Moscow. Denis Sinyagin and Jeff Glass receive the starting nods in goal. Moscow got going with an unassisted Konstantin Glazachev power play goal in the second period. Minsk tied it in the third period with an Alexei Kalyuzhny power play goal, powered by Matt Ellison. In the shootout, Igor Radulov of Spartak and Andrei Stepanov of Dinamo cancelled each other out early on, followed by Ellison matched by Igor Levitsky in the fifth round. Ellison scored again in the sixth round to secure a 2-1 Dinamo win. The three stars belonged to Ellison, Glass (27 for 28 in saves), and Sinyagin (23 for 24 in saves).
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Thursday, January 28, 2016
Should players be suspended for skipping All-Star Game?
With the NHL All-Star break upon us, the midseason festivities are in full effect. As with every other year, a couple of players this year have dropped out of the game: Alex Ovechkin and Jonathan Toews. The reports indicate that they aren't just skipping the game because they don't feel like going. Rather, Ovechkin is nursing a minor injury and Toews is recovering from illness. These seem like two perfectly good reasons to miss a game that ultimately doesn't mean that much beyond adding money to the league coffers. Yet, both players will be forced to miss their teams' first game back after the break.
One can see why the league does things this way. The league wants to have as many of its marketable stars at the game as possible. Between the leader and face of the most successful team of the decade and one of the premier talents in the league, Toews and Ovechkin are certainly marketable stars. Both are unquestionably stars in the league (unlike one or two particular participants in the event). The motivation behind this rule seems to be to strongly encourage players picked for the game to participate. If not, the punishment for missing a game that doesn't matter is missing one that does.
Still, the league comes off looking very harsh in this year's particular scenarios. If Ovechkin is truly injured (and there's no reason to doubt that), why should he be punished for doing what's best for him, let alone his team? Ovechkin has gone to plenty of All-Star Games in previous years, and he always puts on a show in the skills competition. He'd be there if he could without unnecessary risk.
With Toews, it's a little more nuanced. Toews is not a dazzler when it comes to offensive skills. His best assets are his defense and his leadership. While admirable, they aren't exactly the purpose of the All-Star Game (end-of-season awards are more his scene). Toews is also dealing with an illness. It has to make sense that if he's not feeling up to it, it's the right thing to do to keep him out of the event, if only to not have a potential massive outbreak of whatever he's caught. He'd be more than willing to go if he was healthy as well.
With these two examples this year, it brings to mind the question of whether players should be suspended for missing the All-Star Game. I do believe that players should face some sort of punishment for just skipping the event. That's not a good look for the league and isn't professional on the parts of the players who take that route. However, in these cases, there are documented reasons for missing the game, and quite valid ones at that. The league has to realize that being healthy enough to play for a regular season game may not be healthy enough to justify spending a weekend playing glorified pond hockey. I don't think Ovechkin and Toews should have to miss the first game back after the break if they are rested enough to play. I understand that the one-game ban is a deterrent for skipping, but that's not the reason these two superstars are missing the festivities this weekend. Let me know what you think in the comments.
One can see why the league does things this way. The league wants to have as many of its marketable stars at the game as possible. Between the leader and face of the most successful team of the decade and one of the premier talents in the league, Toews and Ovechkin are certainly marketable stars. Both are unquestionably stars in the league (unlike one or two particular participants in the event). The motivation behind this rule seems to be to strongly encourage players picked for the game to participate. If not, the punishment for missing a game that doesn't matter is missing one that does.
Still, the league comes off looking very harsh in this year's particular scenarios. If Ovechkin is truly injured (and there's no reason to doubt that), why should he be punished for doing what's best for him, let alone his team? Ovechkin has gone to plenty of All-Star Games in previous years, and he always puts on a show in the skills competition. He'd be there if he could without unnecessary risk.
With Toews, it's a little more nuanced. Toews is not a dazzler when it comes to offensive skills. His best assets are his defense and his leadership. While admirable, they aren't exactly the purpose of the All-Star Game (end-of-season awards are more his scene). Toews is also dealing with an illness. It has to make sense that if he's not feeling up to it, it's the right thing to do to keep him out of the event, if only to not have a potential massive outbreak of whatever he's caught. He'd be more than willing to go if he was healthy as well.
With these two examples this year, it brings to mind the question of whether players should be suspended for missing the All-Star Game. I do believe that players should face some sort of punishment for just skipping the event. That's not a good look for the league and isn't professional on the parts of the players who take that route. However, in these cases, there are documented reasons for missing the game, and quite valid ones at that. The league has to realize that being healthy enough to play for a regular season game may not be healthy enough to justify spending a weekend playing glorified pond hockey. I don't think Ovechkin and Toews should have to miss the first game back after the break if they are rested enough to play. I understand that the one-game ban is a deterrent for skipping, but that's not the reason these two superstars are missing the festivities this weekend. Let me know what you think in the comments.
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