Tuesday, April 5, 2016

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 173

It's a big night as the season winds down, with eleven games filling the schedule. The first is in...

Boston, as the Bruins host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Tuukka Rask man the nets. Carolina struck first in the first period with a Jaccob Slavin goal, his second of the season, passed from Justin Faulk and Nathan Gerbe. Boston tied it with a Loui Eriksson goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, with a lone assist by John-Michael Liles in the third period. The tie went to a shootout, where the Hurricanes' Noah Hanifin scored the lone tally for a 2-1 win. The three stars went to Ward (35 for 36 in saves), Rask (27 for 28 in saves), and Slavin.

Over in New Jersey, the Devils welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Chad Johnson and Cory Schneider protect the nets. Buffalo got going in the second period with a Ryan O'Reilly power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Jack Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen. The Sabres added on with a Johan Larsson goal, his tenth of the year, going in unassisted in the third period. New Jersey got on the board with a Jacob Josefson power play goal, his fourth of the season, fueled by Tyler Kennedy and Kyle Palmieri. Buffalo iced it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by Eichel, his twenty-fourth of the year, an unassisted goal. The three stars were Eichel, Johnson (18 for 19 in saves), and Larsson.

Along to DC, where the Washington Capitals bring in the New York Islanders. Christopher Gibson is mismatched with Braden Holtby in goal. Washington led off in the first period with an Alex Ovechkin goal, his forty-sixth of the season, passed from T.J. Oshie and Marcus Johansson. New York tied it in the second period with a John Tavares goal, his thirty-first of the year, fueled by Thomas Hickey and Kyle Okposo. The Capitals took the lead back with an Oshie goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, coming off of Johansson and John Carlson in the third period. Washington added on with another Ovechkin, his second of the game and forty-seventh of the year, guided in by Oshie and Johansson, the latter getting a sock trick. The Islanders answered with an Okposo goal, his twenty-second of the season, via Tavares and Frans Nielsen. New York tied it as Anders Lee scored his fifteenth of the year, thanks to Nick Leddy and Ryan Strome. The Islanders won 4-3 in overtime with a Hickey goal, his sixth of the campaign, with helpers from Tavares and Strome. The three stars went to Hickey, Tavares, and Ovechkin, while Okposo, Oshie, Johansson, and Strome get the honorable mentions.

Up in Montreal, the Canadiens host the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Mike Condon receive the starting nods. Florida began in the first period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, courtesy of Jaromir Jagr and Jonathan Huberdeau. Florida tied it on an Alex Galchenyuk power play goal in the second period, his twenty-eighth of the year, powered by Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher. The Panthers took the lead back with a Nick Bjugstad power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, assisted by Teddy Purcell and Jagr. Florida added on in the third period with a Greg McKegg goal, his second of the year, via Shawn Thornton and Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers extended the lead as Jiri Hudler scored his sixteenth of the campaign, with the help of Purcell and Jakub Kindl. The final held at 4-1, with the three stars being Luongo (32 for 33 in saves), Jagr, and Purcell.

Back stateside, the New York Rangers welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Henrik Lundqvist are in the blue paint. Tampa Bay opened in the first period with an Andrej Sustr goal, his fourth of the season, coming off of Vladislav Namestnikov and Jonathan Marchessault. The Lightning added on with an Ondrej Palat goal, his sixteenth of the year, helped along by Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov. New York tied it on a Derek Stepan power play goal in the second period, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Mats Zuccarello and Keith Yandle. The Rangers tied it in the third period with another Stepan goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the year, guided in by Zuccarello and Kevin Klein. New York took the lead with a Chris Kreider goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, passed from Marc Staal and Stepan. This produced the 3-2 final, with the three stars awarded to Stepan, Zuccarello, and Kreider.

Into Canada again, where the Ottawa Senators bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Murray and Andrew Hammond are the little-known goalies. Ottawa started in the first period with an Erik Karlsson goal, his sixteenth of the season, helped along by Mike Hoffman and Mika Zibanejad. The Senators added on with a Hoffman goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, fueled by Ben Harpur and Chris Wideman in the second period. Ottawa extended the lead as Zack Smith scored his twenty-third of the season, thanks to Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Fredrik Claesson. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his twenty-second of the year, via Nick Bonino and Justin Schultz. The Penguins pulled closer with a Sidney Crosby goal, his thirty-fourth of the season, guided in by Hornqvist and Kris Letang. Pittsburgh tied it in the third period with a Carl Hagelin goal, his thirteenth of the year, assisted by Bonino. The Penguins took the lead with a Hagelin goal, his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, with a lone assist by Bonino. Pittsburgh iced it at 5-3 with a Crosby empty net goal, his second of the game and thirty-fifth of the year, set up by Letang and Chris Kunitz. The three stars went to Hagelin, Bonino, and Crosby, while Hornqvist, Letang, and Hoffman get the honorable mentions.

South to Nashville, with the Predators hosting the Colorado Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov and Pekka Rinne are the masked men. Nashville was first to score in the first period with a Colin Wilson goal, his sixth of the season, helped along by James Neal and Ryan Johansen. The Predators added on with a Filip Forsberg power play goal, his thirty-second of the year, powered by Johansen and Shea Weber. Colorado got on the board with a Mikkel Boedker goal, his eleventh of the season, via Tyson Barrie and Matt Duchene. The Avalanche tied it in the second period with a Jarome Iginla goal, his twenty-first of the year, courtesy of Shawn Matthias and Duchene. Nashville took the lead in the third period with a Mike Fisher goal, his thirteenth of the season, assisted by Roman Josi and Wilson. Colorado tied it again with a Matthias goal, his eleventh of the year, made possible by Zach Redmond and John Mitchell. The Predators took the lead with a Craig Smith goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, with helpers from Forsberg and Mattias Ekholm. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars handed to Wilson, Forsberg, Matthias, while Johansen and Duchene get the honorable mentions.

Back north, the Minnesota Wild welcome the San Jose Sharks. James Reimer and Devan Dubnyk are the quality goalies. San Jose drew first blood in the first period with a Logan Couture goal, his fifteenth of the season, helped along by Brenden Dillon and Joonas Donskoi. The Sharks added on in the second period with a Patrick Marleau power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, powered by Couture and Joe Thornton. San Jose extended the lead as Marleau scored his second of the game and twenty-fourth of the campaign in the third period, with the help of Melker Karlsson and Dillon. The final stood at 3-0, with the three stars going to Marleau, Couture, and Reimer (29 save shutout), while Dillon gets an honorable mention.

Along to Chicago, where the Blackhawks bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Louis Domingue and Scott Darling are the mediocre goalies. Chicago led off in the first period with a Richard Panik goal, his sixth of the season, via Jonathan Toews and Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Blackhawks added on with a Toews shorthanded and unassisted goal, his twenty-seventh of the year. Chicago extended the lead in the second period with a Patrick Kane power play goal, his forty-fourth of the season, powered by Artemi Panarin and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks padded the lead as Andrew Ladd scored his twenty-fourth of the year on the power play, thanks to Trevor van Riemsdyk and Panarin. Chicago kept going with a Ladd power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the season, helped along by Kane and Panarin, the latter getting a natural sock trick. Arizona got on the board in the third period with a Connor Murphy goal, his sixth of the year, fueled by Jiri Sekac. The Blackhawks fired back with an Andrew Desjardins goal, his eighth of the season, assisted by Marcus Kruger and Michal Rozsival. The Coyotes got closer with a Brad Richardson goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Shane Doan and Max Domi. The final remained at 6-2, with the three stars being named as Toews, Panarin, and Ladd, while Kane gets an honorable mention.

Into Alberta, where the Calgary Flames host the Los Angeles Kings. Jhonas Enroth and Joni Ortio receive the green lights to play goal. Calgary began in the first period with a Mikael Backlund goal, his eighteenth of the season, helped along by Joe Colborne and Deryk Engelland. Los Angeles tied it with a Milan Lucic goal, his eighteenth of the year, via Anze Kopitar and Jake Muzzin. The Kings took the lead in the second period with a Lucic goal, his second of the game and nineteenth of the campaign, courtesy of Kopitar and Drew Doughty. The Flames tied it with a Hunter Shinkaruk goal, his second of the season, assisted by Mark Giordano and Johnny Gaudreau. Calgary took the lead in the third period with a Giordano power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Los Angeles tied it again with an Andy Andreoff goal, his seventh of the campaign, going in unassisted. The Flames pulled ahead with an Engelland goal, his second of the season, with helpers from Micheal Ferland and Colborne. The Kings tied it on a Kris Versteeg goal, his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Jamie McBain and Tyler Toffoli. Los Angeles won 5-4 in overtime with an unassisted Jeff Carter goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign. The three stars belonged to Lucic, Giordano, and Engelland, while Colborne, Gaudreau, and Kopitar get the honorable mentions.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Winnipeg Jets. Michael Hutchinson and John Gibson are the young goalies. Anaheim cracked the scoresheet with a first period Corey Perry power play goal, his thirty-third of the season, powered by Ryan Getzlaf and Sami Vatanen. Winnipeg tied it in the third period with a Marko Dano goal, his fifth of the year, fueled by Jacob Trouba and Alex Burmistrov. The Jets won 2-1 in overtime with a Blake Wheeler goal, his twenty-fourth of the campaign, guided in by Mark Scheifele and Dustin Byfuglien. The three stars were Wheeler, Dano, and Hutchinson (27 for 28 in saves).

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Monday, April 4, 2016

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 172

Five games on today, beginning in...

Brooklyn, as the New York Islanders host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop faces a lesser foe in Thomas Greiss in goal. New York began in the first period with a Ryan Pulock goal, his second of the season, coming off of Kyle Okposo and John Tavares. Tampa Bay tied it in the second period with an Alex Killorn goal, his fourteenth of the year, via Nikita Kucherov and Matthew Carle. The Islanders took the lead back with a Matt Martin goal, his ninth of the season, passed from Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas. New York added on with a Brock Nelson goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, fueled by Nikolay Kulemin. The Islanders extended the lead as Tavares scored his thirtieth of the season, a power play goal powered by Frans Nielsen and Okposo. The Lightning answered on a Victor Hedman goal, his tenth of the year, with assists provided by Carle and Vladislav Namestnikov. New York padded their lead on a Johnny Boychuk goal in the third period, his ninth of the season, made possible by Tavares. Andrei Vasilevskiy replaced Bishop in goal. The final held at 5-2, with the three stars awarded to Tavares, Okposo, and Carle.

West to Columbus, with the Blue Jackets welcoming in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Joonas Korpisalo are in the blue paint. New York started in the first period with a Chris Kreider goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Derek Stepan and the goalie Lundqvist. The Rangers added on in the second period with a Dan Boyle goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. Columbus got on the board with a Nick Foligno goal, his tenth of the season, helped along by David Savard and Oliver Bjorkstrand. New York replied with a Mats Zuccarello goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, coming off of Kreider. The Blue Jackets pulled back in the third period with a Foligno goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the season, via Seth Jones and Jared Boll. The Rangers iced it at 4-2 with a shorthanded empty net goal from Stepan, his twentieth of the year, an unassisted. The three stars went to Kreider, Foligno, and Stepan.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs host the Florida Panthers. Al Montoya and Jonathan Bernier draw the starts. Florida got going in the second period with a Nick Bjugstad goal, his fourteenth of the season, passed from Aaron Ekblad and Reilly Smith. The Panthers added on with a Rocco Grimaldi goal, his second of the year, assisted by Jiri Hudler and Teddy Purcell. Florida extended the lead as Grimaldi scored his second of the game and third of the season, with the help of Smith. Toronto got on the board with a Colin Greening power play goal in the third period, his fifth of the year, powered by William Nylander and Morgan Rielly. The Maple Leafs got closer with a T.J. Brennan goal, made possible by Rich Clune and Brad Boyes. The Panthers countered with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, coming off of Jonathan Huberdeau and Ekblad. Toronto shot back with a Greening goal, his second of the game and sixth of the year, with helpers from Tyler Bozak and P.A. Parenteau. The final stayed at 4-3, with the three stars going to Grimaldi, Greening, and Ekblad, while Smith gets an honorable mention.

Back stateside, the St. Louis Blues bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Brian Elliott are the veterans in goal. Arizona led off in the first period with an Antoine Vermette goal, his sixteenth of the season, helped along by Connor Murphy and Alex Tanguay. The Coyotes added on with an Anthony Duclair goal, his twentieth of the year, courtesy of Tanguay and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. St. Louis got on the board in the second period with a Troy Brouwer power play goal, his eighteenth of the season, powered by Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko. The Blues tied it with a shorthanded Kyle Brodziak goal in the third period, his sixth of the year, set up by Pietrangelo. St. Louis took the lead with an unassisted Vladimir Tarasenko goal, his thirty-seventh of the season. The Blues extended the lead as Patrik Berglund scored a power play goal, his tenth of the year, with the help of Tarasenko and Kevin Shattenkirk. St. Louis capped it at 5-2 with Brodziak's second of the game and seventh of the campaign, made possible by Robert Bortuzzo and Carl Gunnarsson. The three stars belonged to Brodziak, Tarasenko, and Pietrangelo, while Tanguay gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Ryan Miller are the American goalies. Los Angeles opened in the first period with a Tyler Toffoli goal, his thirtieth of the season, coming off of Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty. Vancouver tied it with an Emerson Etem goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Derek Dorsett and Bo Horvat. The Kings took the lead back in the second period with a Kyle Clifford goal, his third of the season, helped along by Andy Andreoff. The Canucks tied it again with a Jannik Hansen power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin. Vancouver took the lead with a Jared McCann goal, his ninth of the season, an unassisted goal. This stood for the eventual 3-2 final, with the three stars handed to McCann, Hansen, and Etem.

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Sunday, April 3, 2016

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 171

After today, there's only a week of games left for the regular season. Fear not, for I will dutifully cover the playoffs with additional editorials throughout as well. Today, there are five games, beginning with...

The Chicago Blackhawks hosting the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask faces a lesser foe in Scott Darling in goal. Chicago led off in the first period with an Artem Anisimov power play goal, his twentieth of the season, powered by Artemi Panarin and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks added on with an unassisted Patrick Kane goal, his forty-first of the year. Chicago extended the lead as Kane scored his second of the game and forty-second of the season in the second period, with the help of Anisimov and Panarin. The Blackhawks chased Rask with a Jonathan Toews goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, assisted by Marian Hossa and Andrew Ladd. Jonas Gustavsson replaced Rask in goal. Chicago padded the lead on a Panarin goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, helped along by Kane and Anisimov. The Blackhawks continued as Kane finished his hat trick with his forty-third of the year, a power play goal made possible by Panarin, who got a sock trick, and Seabrook. Boston got on the board with a David Pastrnak goal, his thirteenth of the season, with helpers from David Krejci and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins pulled closer with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his thirty-first of the year, guided in by Adam McQuaid and Brad Marchand. Boston edged closer in the third period with a Bergeron goal, his second of the game and thirty-second of the season, coming off of Loui Eriksson and Torey Krug. The Bruins kept charging with a Marchand goal, his thirty-sixth of the year, driven in by Krug and Bergeron. The final held at 6-4, with the three stars going to Kane, Panarin, and Bergeron, while Marchand, Anisimov, Seabrook, and Krug get the honorable mentions.

Into a Battle of Pennsylvania, as the Pittsburgh Penguins welcome their eastern neighbors, the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve Mason and Matt Murray receive the starting nods in goal. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Sidney Crosby power play goal, his thirty-third of the season, powered by Phil Kessel and Kris Letang. The Penguins added on with a Beau Bennett goal, his sixth of the year, passed from Conor Sheary and Justin Schultz. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Patric Hornqvist scored his twenty-first of the season in the second period, an unassisted goal. Philadelphia got on the board with a Wayne Simmonds goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, via Claude Giroux and Andrew MacDonald. The Penguins replied in the third period with a Carl Hagelin goal, his twelfth of the season, helped along by Nick Bonino and Letang. The Flyers answered with a Jakub Voracek goal, his eleventh of the year, with assists by Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Couturier. Pittsburgh countered with an Eric Fehr goal, his seventh of the season, fueled by Matt Cullen and Tom Kuhnhackl. The Penguins iced it at 6-2 with a shorthanded empty net goal by Fehr, his second of the game and eighth of the year, set up by Cullen. The three stars were Fehr, Letang, and Cullen.

Westward to Colorado, as the Avalanche host the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Semyon Varlamov are the masked men. St. Louis opened in the first period with a David Backes power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Vladimir Tarasenko and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Blues added on with a Magnus Paajarvi goal, his third of the year, fueled by Paul Stastny and Troy Brouwer. St. Louis extended the lead as Colton Parayko scored his ninth of the season, with the help of Alexander Steen and Tarasenko. Calvin Pickard replaced Varlamov for the second period due to performance, as did Anders Nilsson for Allen, but for injury in this case. The Blues padded the lead with an Alex Pietrangelo goal in the second period, his seventh of the year, courtesy of Kyle Brodziak. Colorado got on the board with a Matt Duchene goal, his thirtieth of the season, passed from Mikkel Boedker and Mikhail Grigorenko. St. Louis shot back with a Brouwer empty net goal, his seventeenth of the year, set up by Backes and Pietrangelo. This made it a 5-1 final, with the three stars going to Backes, Pietrangelo, and Tarasenko, while Brouwer gets an honorable mention.

Up in Canada, the Winnipeg Jets bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Ondrej Pavelec are in the blue paint. Winnipeg started in the first period with a Mark Scheifele power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, powered by Nikolaj Ehlers and Alex Burmistrov. The Jets added on with a Chris Thorburn goal, his sixth of the year, made possible by Matt Halischuk. Minnesota got on the board with a Mikael Granlund goal, his thirteenth of the season, guided in by Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise. Winnipeg answered with an Andrew Copp goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Nic Petan and Ben Chiarot. The Jets extended the lead as Drew Stafford scored a power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, thanks to Jacob Trouba and Marko Dano. Winnipeg iced it at 5-1 with a Blake Wheeler empty net goal, his twenty-third of the year, set up by Ehlers. The three stars were handed to Pavelec (28 for 29 in saves), Ehlers, and Thorburn.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Dallas Stars. Antti Niemi and John Gibson are between the pipes. Anaheim got going in the second period with a shorthanded goal by Nate Thompson, his third of the season, going in unassisted. The Ducks added on with a shorthanded Ryan Kesler goal, his nineteenth of the year, set up by Jakob Silfverberg in the third period. Dallas got on the board with a Radek Faksa goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Jason Spezza. Anaheim iced it at 3-1 with a Ryan Getzlaf empty net goal, his thirteenth of the year, with a lone helper by Kesler. The three stars went to Kesler, Gibson (24 for 25 in saves), and Thompson.

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Major League Soccer 2016 - Week 5

Nine games this week as the schedule fleshes out again. We begin with...

The New England Revolution hosting the New York Red Bulls on Friday. Luis Robles and Bobby Shuttleworth tend the nets. New England saw a yellow card for a thirty-ninth minute foul by Juan Agudelo. The Revolution got going in the fifty-fifth minute with a Diego Fagundez goal, via Agudelo and Scott Caldwell. New York's Robles took a yellow card for dissent during the play. The Red Bulls went down to ten men when Felipe took a straight red card in the sixty-first minute for violent conduct. In the eighty-sixth minute, Mike Grella of New York took a yellow card an argument, as did New England's Teal Bunbury for delaying the restart of play. The score held at 1-0, with the man of the match being Fagundez for the decisive goal.

On Saturday, the first of seven games sees the Chicago Fire welcome the Philadelphia Union. Andre Blake and Matt Lampson are the goalies. Philadelphia saw a yellow card for Warren Creavalle in the thirteenth minute for his foul. Rodrigo Ramos of Chicago had a yellow card for a thirty-seventh minute foul. In the forty-seventh minute, the Union found themselves down a man as Creavalle took a straight red card for a foul. The Fire capitalized on the advantage with a fifty-first minute Kennedy Igboananike goal, via Michael Harrington. Chicago had a yellow card given to Matt Polster for a foul in the seventy-second minute. The game ended in a 1-0 final, with Igboananike earning man of the match honors for his winner.

West to Colorado, with the Rapids bringing in Toronto FC. Clint Irwin and Zac MacMath are the goalies. Toronto went down to ten men with two yellow cards to Benoit Cheyrou in the eleventh and thirteenth minutes for fouls. Colorado capitalized, leading off the scoring with an eighteenth minute Luis Solignac goal, passed from Marco Pappa. The Rapids saw a yellow card for a forty-fifth minute Marc Burch foul. Toronto had a yellow card given to Damien Perquis for his forty-eighth minute foul. Colorado had a yellow card given to Bobby Burling in the fifty-ninth minute for persistent infringement, followed by an eighty-second minute booking for Conor Doyle for his foul. The final stayed at 1-0, with the man of the match being Solignac for his winner early on.

Back east, Sporting Kansas City hosts Real Salt Lake. Jeff Attinella and Tim Melia play goal. Salt Lake began with a twenty-ninth minute Justen Glad goal, assisted by Joao Plata. Real had a yellow card given to Yura Movsisyan in the sixty-seventh minute for a foul. Salt Lake's Plata took a yellow card for time wasting in the seventy-seventh minute. Real added on with a Luke Mulholland goal in the seventy-ninth minute. In the ninetieth minute, Benny Feilhaber of Kansas City and Salt Lake's Mulholland took yellow cards for a foul and an argument, respectively. In stoppage time, Feilhaber scored on a penalty kick to get Sporting on the board. The final held at 2-1 for Real, with Mulholland named man of the match for the critical winner.

Down in Texas, FC Dallas welcomes the Columbus Crew SC. Steve Clark and Chris Seitz receive the starting nods in goal. Columbus opened in the ninth minute with a Justin Meram goal, passed from Federico Higuain. Dallas tied it in the seventy-seventh minute with a Tesho Akindele goal. Dallas had a yellow card go to Carlos Gruezo for his foul in the seventy-eighth minute and another to Zach Loyd for an eightieth minute foul. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with the man of the match being Seitz, who went five for six in saves to keep Dallas in it long enough to earn a draw.

Northwest to Seattle, where the Sounders FC brings in the Montreal Impact. Evan Bush and Stefan Frei are the gloved men. Montreal had a yellow card for a sixty-fourth minute foul by Hassoun Camara. Seattle's Andreas Ivanschitz took a yellow card for his dissent in the sixty-seventh minute. The Impact saw a yellow card given to Lucas Ontivero in the seventy-fifth minute for persistent infringement, and another to Donny Toia in the seventy-eighth minute for a foul. The Sounders dented the scoreboard in the seventy-ninth minute with a Clint Dempsey goal, set up by Ivanschitz. This stood for a 1-0 win, with Dempsey being the man of the match for scoring the winner.

In Canada, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC host the Los Angeles Galaxy. Brian Rowe and David Ousted man the six-yard boxes. Los Angeles had yellow cards given to Daniel Steres and Jelle Van Damme for fouls in the seventeenth and twenty-fourth minutes, respectively. Vancouver went down to ten men in the twenty-eighth minute as Matias Laba earned a straight red card for his foul. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, with the man of the match being Ousted for a four-save clean sheet after an hour of being a man down.

Saturday ends with the San Jose Earthquakes welcoming DC United. Travis Worra and David Bingham make the starts in goal. San Jose had a yellow card for a Shaun Francis foul in the thirty-first minute. DC started in the thirty-fourth minute with a Patrick Nyarko goal, assisted by Lamar Neagle and Chris Rolfe. Andres Imperiale of the Earthquakes took a yellow card for his fifty-fifth minute foul. United saw yellow cards for Taylor Kemp in the fifty-ninth minute, Nyarko in the sixty-fourth minute, and Luciano Acosta in the eighty-sixth minute, the first two for fouls and the third for dissent. San Jose tied it on an eighty-eighth minute Adam Jahn goal, coming off of Shea Salinas. The goal earned Jahn man of the match honors for creating a 1-1 draw.

Finally, Orlando City SC brings in the Portland Timbers to close the week on Sunday. Adam Larsen Kwarasey and Joe Bendik are the gloved men. Orlando City drew first blood in the thirteenth minute with a Seb Hines goal, via Kaka. Orlando City had a yellow card given to Brek Shea in the fifteenth minute for a foul. Orlando City added on with a Shea goal in the thirty-second minute, assisted by Kaka. Portland saw Alvas Powell take a yellow card for his thirty-eighth minute foul and Jack Barmby receive a yellow card for a forty-first minute foul. Orlando City extended the lead on a forty-eighth minute goal by Kaka. In the seventieth minute, Orlando City keeper Bendik took a yellow card for time wasting. The Timbers' Jermaine Taylor received a yellow card in the seventy-fourth minute for a foul. Orlando City padded the lead with a Kevin Molino penalty kick goal in the seventy-sixth minute. Portland avoided the shutout with an eighty-ninth minute goal by Jack McInerney, courtesy of Diego Valeri. The final stood at 4-1, with Kaka being the man of the match.

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2015/16 Premier League Week 32

A full slate returns us to action with just a handful of weeks left the season. We begin with eight Saturday games, the first seeing...

Aston Villa host Chelsea. Thibaut Courtois and Brad Guzan are in goal. Chelsea opened in the twenty-sixth minute on a Ruben Loftus-Cheek goal, passed from Cesar Azpilicueta. Idrissa Gueye of Aston Villa had a yellow card in the twenty-eighth minute, as did Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas a minute later. In first half stoppage time, Aly Cissokho took a yellow card for a foul, leading to an Alexandre Pato penalty kick goal to add to the Chelsea lead. Chelsea extended the lead in the forty-sixth minute on a Pedro goal, with the help of Oscar. Chelsea padded the lead in the fifty-ninth minute with another Pedro goal. Aston Villa saw yellow cards for Carlos Sanchez in the sixty-first minute, Alan Hutton in the seventy-eighth minute, Hutton again in the eighty-fifth minute as they went down to ten men, and Ashley Westwood in the eighty-seventh minute, all for fouls. Chelsea took the game 4-0.

Down in London, Arsenal welcomes Watford. Heurelho Gomes and David Ospina make the starts in goal. Arsenal led off in the fourth minute with an Alexis Sanchez goal. Arsenal added on in the thirty-eighth minute with a goal by Alex Iwobi, set up by Sanchez. Arsenal extended the lead as Hector Bellerin scored in the forty-eighth minute. Watford had a yellow card given to Nyom in the sixty-first minute. Arsenal saw a yellow card for Mohamed Elneny in the eighty-fourth minute. Arsenal padded the lead with a ninetieth minute goal from Theo Walcott, passed from Joel Campbell. This produced a 4-0 win for Arsenal.

Next up, Bournemouth brings in Manchester City. Willy Caballero and Artur Boruc draw the starts in goal. Manchester City started in seventh minute with a Fernando goal. Manchester City added on with a Kevin De Bruyne goal in the twelfth minute, coming off of David Silva. Manchester City extended the lead in the nineteenth minute as Sergio Aguero scored, thanks to Jesus Navas. In the eighty-ninth minute, Fernando took a yellow card for a foul for Manchester City. Manchester City padded the lead with a stoppage time goal by Aleksandar Kolarov, via Samir Nasri. The game ended 4-0 for Manchester City.

Continuing along, Norwich City hosts Newcastle United. Karl Darlow is mismatched with John Ruddy in goal. Norwich City got going in first half stoppage time with a Timm Klose goal, passed from Robbie Brady. Newcastle United tied it with an Aleksandar Mitrovic goal in the seventy-first minute, via Andros Townsend. Norwich City took the lead back with a Dieumerci Mbokani goal in the seventy-fourth minute, assisted by Jonny Howson. Newcastle United tied it as Mitrovic scored a penalty kick goal in the eighty-sixth minute. Norwich City stole a 3-2 win with a Martin Olsson goal in stoppage time, courtesy of Howson.

In the east, Stoke City welcomes Swansea City. Lukasz Fabianski faces a lesser foe in Jakob Haugaard in goal. Stoke City began in the thirteenth minute with an Ibrahim Afellay goal, assisted by Marko Arnautovic. Ashley Williams of Swansea City took a yellow card for a twenty-first minute foul. Stoke City added on in the fifty-third minute with a Bojan goal, via Glenn Whelan. Swansea City got on the board with a sixty-eighth minute goal by Gylfi Sigurdsson, made possible by Wayne Routledge. Swansea City tied it with a seventy-ninth minute goal from Alberto Paloschi, set up by Williams. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.

Out to Sunderland bringing in West Bromwich Albion. Ben Foster and Vito Mannone are the gloved men. Younes Kaboul of Sunderland took a yellow card for an eighteenth minute foul. West Bromwich Albion saw yellow cards for Craig Gardner in the forty-seventh minute and Jonny Evans in the eighty-eighth minute. The scoring never came, with the game ending in a 0-0 draw.

Moving along to West Ham United hosting Crystal Palace. Wayne Hennessey and Adrian man the nets. Crystal Palace struck first in the fifteenth minute with a Damien Delaney goal. West Ham United tied it in the eighteenth minute with a Manuel Lanzini goal. West Ham United saw yellow cards given to Mark Noble in the twenty-eighth minute and Winston Reid in the twenty-ninth minute, both for fouls. West Ham United took the lead in the forty-first minute with a Dimitri Payet goal. In the sixty-seventh minute, West Ham United went down to ten men when Cheikhou Kouyate took a straight red card for his conduct. Crystal Palace tied it with a Dwight Gayle goal in the seventy-fifth minute. Crystal Palace's Joel Ward received a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time, as did teammate Bakary Sako minutes later. The game held at a 2-2 draw.

Saturday ends with Liverpool welcoming Tottenham Hotspur. Hugo Lloris and Simon Mignolet guard the woodwork. In the twenty-fourth minute, Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool took a yellow card for his foul. In the fifty-first minute, Liverpool dented the scoreboard with a Coutinho goal, assisted by Daniel Sturridge. Tottenham Hotspur tied it in the sixty-third minute with a Harry Kane goal, fueled by Christian Eriksen. Emre Can of Liverpool took a yellow card for a sixty-fourth minute foul. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

On Sunday, Leicester City brings in Southampton. Fraser Forster and Kasper Schmeichel are the keepers. Leicester City drew first blood in the thirty-eighth minute with a Wes Morgan goal, passed from Christian Fuchs. Southampton had a yellow card for a foul by Victor Wanyama in the forty-sixth minute. Leicester City saw a yellow card given to Daniel Drinkwater for a fifty-first minute foul. In the seventy-fifth minute, Southampton's Dusan Tadic took a yellow card. Leicester City's Fuchs received a yellow card in the eighty-eighth minute for time wasting. Leicester City held on for a 1-0 win.

Finally, Manchester United hosts Everton. Joel Robles and David de Gea are the goalies. Manchester United was first to score in the fifty-fourth minute with an Anthony Martial goal, passed from Timothy Fosu-Mensah. Manchester United had yellow cards for Chris Smalling in the sixty-first minute and Jesse Lingard in stoppage time, both for fouls. Manchester United won 1-0.

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2015-16 NHL Season - Day 170

Eleven games today, with the first three being matinees. The first is in...

Brooklyn, as the New York Islanders host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Murray and Jean-Francois Berube are the backups in goal. Pittsburgh led off in the first period with a shorthanded and unassisted Oskar Sundqvist goal. The Penguins added on in the second period with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his twentieth of the season, a power play goal powered by Justin Schultz and Sidney Crosby. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Matt Cullen scored his fourteenth of the year, thanks to Tom Kuhnhackl and Eric Fehr. The Penguins padded the lead with a Phil Kessel power play goal in the third period, his twenty-sixth of the season, with a lone assist by Kris Letang. Pittsburgh capped it at 5-0 with a Kuhnhackl goal, his fifth of the year, passed from Cullen and Schultz. The three stars went to Cullen, Kuhnhackl, and Murray (24 save shutout), while Schultz gets an honorable mention.

Over in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the Ottawa Senators. Andrew Hammond and Steve Mason draw the starts in goal. Philadelphia got going in the second period with a Wayne Simmonds power play goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, powered by Jakub Voracek. The Flyers added on with a Sean Couturier power play goal, his eleventh of the year, via Brayden Schenn and Simmonds. Ottawa got on the board with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his nineteenth of the season, guided in by Mike Hoffman and Cody Ceci. Philadelphia replied in the third period with Simmonds' second of the game and twenty-eighth of the year on the power play, helped along by Schenn and Voracek. The Senators answered with a Hoffman power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the campaign, with helpers from Erik Karlsson and Bobby Ryan. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars given to Simmonds, Hoffman, and Mason (33 for 35 in saves), while Schenn and Voracek get the honorable mentions.

Out in Los Angeles, the Kings bring in the Dallas Stars. Kari Lehtonen and Jonathan Quick are the experienced goalies. Los Angeles began in the first period with a Tanner Pearson goal, his fourteenth of the season, assisted by Luke Schenn and Rob Scuderi. Dallas tied it on a Jamie Benn power play goal, his forty-first of the year, powered by Patrick Sharp and Jason Spezza. The Kings took the lead on a second period goal by Jeff Carter, his twenty-third of the season, coming off of Tyler Toffoli. The Stars tied it with a Patrick Eaves goal in the third period, his eleventh of the year, going in unassisted. Dallas took the lead with a Jordie Benn goal, his second of the season, guided in by Patrik Nemeth and Colton Sceviour. This stood for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Jordie Benn, Eaves, and Jamie Benn.

At the usual time, the Carolina Hurricanes host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Eddie Lack are the little known goalies. Carolina started in the first period with a Jeff Skinner goal, his twenty-eighth of the season, assisted by Victor Rask and Jaccob Slavin. Columbus tied it on a Brandon Saad goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The Blue Jackets took the lead in the second period with Saad's second of the game and twenty-seventh of the season, passed from Sonny Milano and Alexander Wennberg. Columbus added on as Saad finished his hat trick with his twenty-eighth of the year, guided in by Wennberg and David Savard. The Blue Jackets extended the lead with a Boone Jenner power play goal, his thirtieth of the season, powered by Cam Atkinson and Seth Jones. Columbus padded the lead in the third period with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his third of the year, fueled by Matt Calvert and Savard. This held for a 5-1 win, with the three stars going to Saad, Wennberg, and Korpisalo (26 for 27 in saves), while Savard gets an honorable mention.

Up in New York, the Rangers welcome the Buffalo Sabres. Chad Johnson is mismatched with Henrik Lundqvist in goal. Buffalo opened in the first period with a Ryan O'Reilly goal, his nineteenth of the season, made possible by Zach Bogosian. The Sabres added on with another Ryan O'Reilly goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, via Jack Eichel and Mark Pysyk. Buffalo extended the lead as Zemgus Girgensons scored his seventh of the season, thanks to Johan Larsson and Brian Gionta. Antti Raanta replaced Lundqvist in goal. New York got on the board with a Kevin Hayes goal, his thirteenth of the year, passed from Eric Staal and Jesper Fast. The Sabres shot back with a Matt Moulson goal, his seventh of the season, with a lone assist from Cal O'Reilly. The Rangers pulled back with a J.T. Miller goal, his twenty-second of the year, guided in by Ryan McDonagh and Derick Brassard. New York chipped closer in the third period with a Derek Stepan goal, his nineteenth of the season, helped along by Chris Kreider and Kevin Klein. The final held at 4-3 for the Sabres, and the three stars went to Ryan O'Reilly, Moulson, and Girgensons.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning bring in the New Jersey Devils. Cory Schneider and Ben Bishop tend the twines. Tampa Bay dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Victor Hedman goal, his ninth of the season, helped along by Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov. New Jersey tied it with an Adam Henrique power play goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, powered by Tyler Kennedy and Damon Severson. The Lightning took the lead back in the third period with a Brian Boyle power play goal, his twelfth of the season, with helpers from Nikita Nesterov and Kucherov. Tampa Bay iced it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by Kucherov, his thirtieth of the year, set up by Hedman and Cedric Paquette. The three stars went to Kucherov, Hedman, and Bishop (25 for 26 in saves).

Into Canada, where the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Garret Sparks are called on to start in goal. Detroit struck first in the first period with a Brad Richards power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Mike Green and Pavel Datsyuk. The Red Wings added on with a Green goal, his seventh of the year, fueled by Jonathan Ericsson and Luke Glendening. Toronto got on the board with a second period goal by Colin Greening, his fourth of the season, assisted by William Nylander and Morgan Rielly. Detroit shot back in the third period with a Kyle Quincey goal, his third of the year, helped along by Darren Helm and Richards. The Maple Leafs edged back with a Nylander goal, his fifth of the campaign, passed from Nazem Kadri and Brad Boyes. The final held at 3-2, with the three stars going to Green, Richards, and Nylander.

Back to Florida, where the Panthers welcome the Montreal Canadiens. Mike Condon and Roberto Luongo are in the blue paint. Montreal was first to score in the first period with a Brendan Gallagher goal, his nineteenth of the season, made possible by Joel Hanley and Max Pacioretty. The Canadiens added on in the second period with a David Desharnais goal, his eleventh of the year, passed from Paul Byron and Darren Dietz. Montreal extended the lead as Torrey Mitchell goal, his eleventh of the season, fueled by Lars Eller and Tomas Plekanec. Florida got on the board with a Jaromir Jagr goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, guided in by Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau. The Panthers got closer with a Barkov goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, with a lone assist by Aaron Ekblad. Florida tied it in the third period on a Huberdeau power play goal, his nineteenth of the year, powered by Nick Bjugstad and Barkov. The Panthers took the lead with a Barkov goal, his second of the game and twenty-sixth of the campaign, helped along by Ekblad and Brian Campbell. This made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars being Barkov, Huberdeau, and Ekblad.

Northwest to Nashville, as the Predators bring in the San Jose Sharks. James Reimer and Carter Hutton are the backups in goal. Nashville drew first blood in the first period with a Shea Weber goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Mike Ribeiro and Roman Josi. The Predators added on with a Calle Jarnkrok goal in the second period, his fifteenth of the year, via James Neal and Ryan Johansen. San Jose got on the board in the third period with a Tomas Hertl goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton. The Sharks tied it with another Hertl goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the year, courtesy of Brent Burns and Thornton. San Jose won 3-2 in the shootout with a lone tally by Logan Couture. The three stars were Hertl, Thornton, and Hutton (38 for 40 in saves).

In Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers host provincial rivals in the Calgary Flames. Joni Ortio and Cam Talbot are the young goalies. Calgary led off in the first period with a shorthanded Mikael Backlund goal, his sixteenth of the season, set up by Josh Jooris and Deryk Engelland. The Flames added on with a Joe Colborne goal, his eighteenth of the year, coming off of Backlund and Jyrki Jokipakka in the second period. Calgary extended the lead in the third period with a Johnny Gaudreau goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, helped along by Micheal Ferland and Sean Monahan. The Flames padded the lead on Gaudreau's second of the game and thirtieth of the year, a power play goal powered by Colborne and Monahan. Calgary iced it at 5-0 with a Backlund goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the campaign. The three stars went to Backlund, Colborne, and Gaudreau, while Monahan gets an honorable mention.

Finally, the Arizona Coyotes host the Washington Capitals. Phillip Grubauer and Mike Smith play goal. Arizona got going in the third period with a Shane Doan goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, assisted by Max Domi. The Coyotes added on with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal, his twenty-first of the year, guided in by Alex Tanguay and Antoine Vermette. Arizona extended the lead as Brad Richardson scored his tenth of the campaign, thanks to Domi. This stood for a 3-0 win, with the three stars being Domi, Doan, and Smith (31 save shutout).

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Saturday, April 2, 2016

2015-16 NHL Season - Day 169

Five games to play out on Friday night, beginning with...

The Detroit Red Wings hosting the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Jimmy Howard are the goalies. Detroit led off in the first period with a Dylan Larkin power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Niklas Kronwall and Henrik Zetterberg. The Red Wings added on with a Tomas Tatar goal in the second period, his twenty-first of the year, courtesy of Gustav Nyquist and Riley Sheahan. Minnesota got on the board with a Jonas Brodin goal, his second of the season, via Ryan Suter and Zach Parise. Detroit answered with a Sheahan goal in the third period, his thirteenth of the year, fueled by Jonathan Ericsson. The Wild got one back with a Mikael Granlund goal, his twelfth of the campaign, helped along by Suter and Parise. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Sheahan, Suter, and Parise.

Southwest to St. Louis, as the Blues welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Brian Elliott are the masked men. St. Louis opened in the first period with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Jori Lehtera and Vladimir Tarasenko. Boston tied it with a Loui Eriksson goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, assisted by John-Michael Liles and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins took the lead with a David Krejci goal, his sixteenth of the season, passed from Matt Beleskey and Liles. The Blues tied it on a second period goal by Paul Stastny, his tenth of the year, with a lone assist by Magnus Paajarvi. Boston took the lead back with a Beleskey goal, his fifteenth of the season, helped along by Krejci. The Bruins added on with a Frank Vatrano goal, his eighth of the year, coming off of Lee Stempniak and Ryan Spooner. Boston extended the lead as Krejci scored his second of the game and seventeenth of the season on the power play, with the help of Torey Krug and Eriksson. St. Louis shot back in the third period with a Robert Bortuzzo goal, his second of the year, fueled by David Backes and Alexander Steen. The Blues chipped closer on an Alex Pietrangelo goal, his sixth of the season, with helpers from Stastny and Steen. The Bruins fired back with a Patrice Bergeron power play goal, his thirtieth of the year, with assists provided by Krug and Krejci. St. Louis pulled back with a Kevin Shattenkirk goal, his fourteenth of the campaign, helped along by Backes and Troy Brouwer. This only made it 6-5, the final, with the three stars being Krejci, Beleskey, and Eriksson, while Krug, Liles, Stastny, Backes, and Steen get the honorable mentions.

Up to Winnipeg, where the Jets host the Chicago Blackhawks. Scott Darling and Ondrej Pavelec are the iffy goalies. Winnipeg began in the first period with a Nic Petan goal, his second of the season, coming off of Joel Armia and Andrew Copp. Chicago tied it with an Artemi Panarin power play goal, his twenty-sixth of the year, powered by Patrick Kane and Artem Anisimov. The Blackhawks took the lead with a Brandon Mashinter goal, his fourth of the season, guided in by Teuvo Teravainen and Erik Gustafsson. The Jets tied it in the second period with a Blake Wheeler goal, his twenty-first of the year, via Nikolaj Ehlers and Dustin Byfuglien. Chicago retook the lead with a Kane goal, his fortieth of the season, fueled by Panarin and Gustafsson. Winnipeg tied it on a third period goal by Byfuglien, his eighteenth of the year, assisted by Wheeler and Mark Scheifele. The Jets pulled ahead with a Wheeler goal, his second of the game and twenty-second of the season, passed from Byfuglien and Scheifele. The Blackhawks tied it again with a Panarin goal, his second of the game and twenty-seventh of the year, made possible by Marcus Kruger and Brent Seabrook. Chicago won 5-4 in overtime with a Seabrook goal, his fourteenth of the campaign, dished from Panarin and Jonathan Toews. The three stars belonged to Panarin, Wheeler, and Seabrook, while Kane, Gustafsson, Byfuglien, and Scheifele get the honorable mentions.

Back stateside, the Colorado Avalanche bring in the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Semyon Varlamov guard the cages. Washington got going in the second period with a Jay Beagle goal, his eighth of the season, an unassisted goal. The Capitals added on with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his forty-fifth of the year, powered by Marcus Johansson and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Washington extended the lead as Jason Chimera scored his nineteenth of the season, thanks to Mike Richards and John Carlson. Colorado got on the board with a Jarome Iginla power play goal, his twentieth of the year, powered by Gabriel Landeskog and Carl Soderberg. The Avalanche got closer in the third period with a Landeskog goal, his twentieth of the season, guided in by Soderberg and Blake Comeau. The Capitals iced it at 4-2 with a T.J. Oshie empty net goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, set up by Daniel Winnik and Beagle. The three stars went to Beagle, Landeskog, and Soderberg.

Finally, the Anaheim Ducks host the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Markstrom and John Gibson are called on to start in goal. Anaheim started in the first period with a Josh Manson goal, his fifth of the season, passed from Jakob Silfverberg and Andrew Cogliano. Vancouver tied it in the second period with a Bo Horvat goal, his fourteenth of the year, fueled by Jannik Hansen. The Ducks took the lead back in the third period with a Nate Thompson goal, his second of the season, guided in by Chris Wagner. The Canucks tied it as Dan Hamhuis scored his third of the year, with the help of Henrik Sedin and Hansen. Vancouver took the lead with an Emerson Etem goal, his fourth of the campaign, via Alex Biega and Horvat. This stood for a 3-2 win, with the three stars handed to Horvat, Hansen, and Etem.

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