Sunday, October 2, 2016

2016 NWSL Semifinals

It's the playoffs now for the NWSL, with the top four teams from the regular season in action this weekend. Both games featured on Fox Sports 1, and will likely be available on YouTube on the NWSLsoccer channel. First off...

The Washington Spirit host the Chicago Red Stars on Friday. Alyssa Naeher and Kelsey Wys are in goal. Washington's Francisca Ordega nearly caught Chicago's Sam Johnson in trouble in the second minute on the rainy field. Arin Gilliland of the Red Stars then stole the ball from the Spirit's Crystal Dunn. The game started a bit slow, with the weather certainly playing a factor. Julie Johnston of Chicago went long for Christen Press in the sixth minute, but it was too long and ran to Wys. Ordega won a corner kick off of Gilliland in the ninth minute. Washington's Ali Krieger served it toward goal, which Johnston cleared for the Red Stars. In the tenth minute, Press tried to find Taylor Comeau for Chicago, but the play was offside and Wys had it covered anyway. Casey Short of Chicago gave up a fourteenth minute corner kick after Christine Nairn of the Spirit sprang Ordega for a run into the box. Nairn took the corner kick for Krieger, which Naeher palmed back over the line safely. Krieger did this second corner kick for Dunn on a give-and-go, and then Vanessa DiBernardo sent it out for another one. Krieger tried this one far post, which Johnston headed as far as Tori Huster of the Spirit. She flipped it back, but Dunn and Ordega collided and Chicago cleared. In the sixteenth minute, Ordega drew a foul call on Johnson, giving the Spirit a good free kick. Krieger took the set piece for Ordega, whose header went wide left. Dunn had a nineteenth minute cross cleared by Sofia Huerta of the Red Stars. Estefania Banini and Dunn of the Spirit worked into the box, but Naeher blocked it. Krieger sent another ball in that Naeher. In the twentieth minute, Dunn ripped a shot off the post, and Ordega's rebound went wide left. In the twenty-third minute, Johnson put a ball forward that Wys had to catch on a hop with Press pressuring her. Chicago had a chance in the twenty-sixth minute on a Short cross that Washington's Caprice Dydasco took. Then, Nairn passed up for Ordega, who was offside to end the Spirit counterattack. Dunn put a cross through the box in the twenty-eighth minute that Banini couldn't get on the end of. Huerta and Press tried to combined on the end of a thirty-first minute Johnston set piece for Chicago, but Washington cleared. DiBernardo had a cross in that the Spirit's Whitney Church cleared as well. Johnson cleared a cross from Washington's Joanna Lohman in the thirty-fifth minute. Washington earned a corner kick, which Krieger served in, and Johnston again cleared for Chicago. Shelina Zadorsky sent in the return ball for the Spirit, and Krieger headed it home to give the Spirit a 1-0 lead in the thirty-sixth minute. DiBernardo had a cross that Comeau popped over the goal in the thirty-seventh minute. Church and Krieger cleared a ball from Huerta to Press in the thirty-ninth minute. Press and Cara Walls created some chaos in the box as the Spirit had trouble keeping the ball away from the Red Stars attackers. Walls had a shot that Wys finally covered in the fortieth minute. Dunn had a forty-first minute shot curve the wrong way for a Red Stars throw-in. A heavy touch from Johnson in the forty-third minute allowed Nairn to boot it toward Chicago keeper Naeher, who restarted the attack from the box. Dunn's cross in the forty-fourth minute was blocked by Huerta and cleared by Johnston. The Red Stars tried to find Press, but Krieger poked it away for the Spirit. Krieger fired a long shot in the forty-fifth minute, going wide left. The game went into halftime at 1-0. The top Red Stars players have been LB Short, CB Johnston, ACM DiBernardo, and RF Walls. For the Spirit, the top players were GK Wys, RB Krieger, CB Zadorsky, RW Nairn, and RF Dunn. Washington sustained pressure in the forty-eighth minute, with Dydasco crossing in for Nairn, who had a poor shot to end the Spirit attack. Johnston broke up a run by Ordega, but had to recover against Dydasco in the forty-ninth minute. DiBernardo had a cross for Press in the fiftieth minute after Huerta's settle for the Red Stars, but no shot came from the play. DiBernardo had a shot in the fifty-first minute, and Wys made the save. Short tried to find Walls in the box in the fifty-second minute, and it fell out to Danielle Colaprico and then Huerta, who sent it over the bar. Zadorsky blocked a fifty-third minute Huerta shot. Zadorsky blocked a shot from Walls in the fifty-fourth minute as well, after Gilliland and Huerta combined to move it forward. Comeau had an errant cross in the fifty-fifth minute for Chicago. Nairn cranked a shot from distance in the fifty-sixth minute, going high and wide left. Nairn took a fifty-seventh minute yellow card for a foul on Gilliland. DiBernardo put in the fifty-eighth minute free kick, which Huerta found and laid off for Press just a bit too long for her to catch up to. Krieger did a sixty-second minute free kick that Gilliland headed it clear. In the sixty-fourth minute, Banini put a shot on goal after Dunn's flicked header, but Naeher made the save. DiBernardo's sixty-fifth minute free kick went for Walls, but they couldn't connect. In the sixty-ninth minute, Colaprico stepped up and managed a shot after blocking a clearance attempt from the Spirit. Stephanie McCaffrey of the Red Stars won a corner kick off of Zadorsky in the seventy-first minute. DiBernardo went for Johnston, but she was blocked well. Colaprico sent in a second effort that was long and wide left of goal. Church cleared a Colaprico service in the seventy-third minute. Huerta had a long cross on the second effort. Johnston went long for Press in the seventy-fourth minute, and while she did settle it, she sent the shot high over the goal. Dydasco tried to pick out Ordega, who fell down in the seventy-fifth minute and Naeher sent the ball forward for the Red Stars. Washington's Diana Matheson worked a give-and-go for Ordega, and then Matheson shot it over the bar. DiBernardo, Press, and McCaffrey strung passes together, with McCaffrey getting called offside in the middle of the box, and her shot also went wide right. Dunn worked around Johnston in the seventy-ninth minute, putting a cross to Matheson. The Spirit got a corner kick, taken by Nairn in the eightieth minute, and Naeher punched it out. Matheson served it back in, but the Red Stars cleared it. In the eighty-first minute, Short found Press, who rocketed a shot into the top left corner to tie the game at 1. Johnston went for Gilliland on a free kick in the eighty-third minute, who sent it in to McCaffrey. She won the corner kick off of Huster. DiBernardo served it in and Ordega cleared it out for another corner kick. DiBernardo sent this one to the center of the goal, where Wys made the catch. Amanda Da Costa found Press but she couldn't pick out McCaffrey in the eighty-fourth minute. Huerta sent an eighty-fifth minute ball to Press, who poked it wide right. The Red Stars are surging late in regulation. McCaffrey had an eighty-sixth minute cross that Wys picked up. Huster blocked an eighty-sixth minute McCaffrey shot. Gilliland tried a cross in the eighty-seventh minute that Washington covered. Da Costa found DiBernardo in the eighty-eighth minute, and she shot it just wide right. Huerta, McCaffrey, and Press combined on the next Chicago attack that ended with a pick-up by Wys. Colaprico stopped a Dunn run and then blocked Katie Stengel's shot for the Spirit in the eighty-ninth minute. Stengel sent a cross across the face of goal in stoppage time after a give-and-go with Ordega. DiBernardo sprung Press for a big run, and Press got Wys out of position before banging the shot off the bar. Short cleared an Ordega cross in stoppage time, and the game goes into overtime. Adding to the halftime honorable mentions for the Red Stars are RB Gilliland, DCM Colaprico, and CF Press, as well as Spirit CF Ordega. Press had an attack ended when she fouled Church in the ninety-first minute. Ordega saw a shot go way wide in the ninety-second minute. Dydasco followed with a shot wide right for Washington. Church cleared a DiBernardo through ball for Press in the ninety-third minute. Johnston surrendered a corner kick as Dunn pressured her in the ninety-fourth minute. Nairn went for goal, seemingly, with Johnston and Naeher shielding the net and no Spirit players able to get a touch. Ordega won a corner kick off of Short in the ninety-fifth minute. Nairn took this one for Stengel, but went too far with it, and Chicago took over. Washington put up a good ninety-eighth minute attack ending with Ordega's bad pass toward Nairn after Krieger's central ball. Church blocked a 100th minute shot by Colaprico after Press and McCaffrey worked it forward. Dunn put a ball in for Stengel in the 101st minute, but she never got a shot off as Naeher took it away. DiBernardo had a 102nd minute shot saved by Wys.
Ordega made a big block on McCaffrey's drop-back pass to Gilliland. Zadorsky headed out Short's 105th minute cross. The game remained at 1-1 after half of overtime. Gilliland kept Ordega at bay in the 107th minute. Dunn chipped a cross into the box in the 108th minute, which Naeher had to come out to grab. In the 111th minute, Nairn went long for Stengel, who dropped it back to her. Nairn then went give-and-go in the box with Matheson, and then Nairn set up Ordega for the goal to make it 2-1 Spirit with less than 10 minutes left. Ordega had a 113th minute cross to Stengel, who headed it wide right. Short had a shot in the 116th minute that went wide right. In the 117th minute, Dunn sent a shot on goal that Naeher saved. Press got caught offside on the Red Stars counterattack. DiBernardo came out injured in the 120th minute. In stoppage time, Johnson took a yellow card for fouling Dunn. The game ended 2-1, with the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match being Krieger. The Spirit head to Houston, and they'll face the winner of the next match.

On Sunday, the Portland Thorns FC host the Western New York Flash. Sabrina D'Angelo and Michelle Betos are the goalies. Portland had a first minute chance as Christine Sinclair passed up to Nadia Nadim, but Western New York's Samantha Mewis blocked it out for a corner kick. Alanna Kennedy of the Flash blocked the service by the Thorns' Tobin Heath. Heath tried again, and Mewis headed this one out for another corner kick. The third corner kick in less than three minutes came from Heath toward Sinclair, but the Flash defended well again. Nadim, Lindsey Horan, and Sinclair combined for another chance for the Thorns, saved by D'Angelo of Western New York. Sincalir couldn't get around the Flash's Abby Dahlkemper in the fifth minute. Western New York earned a good free kick chance as McCall Zerboni was fouled outside the box. Dahlkemper went for Makenzy Doniak and then Jessica McDonald, who had a weak hit wide. Horan flicked on a free kick from Emily Sonnett, but D'Angelo grabbed it ahead of Sinclair in the seventh minute. Mewis settled a ball for Lynn Williams of the Flash in the tenth minute, but she sent it over the bar. Portland's Katherine Reynolds had a twelfth minute cross blocked out by Kennedy of the Flash. Reynolds tried another for Horan, eventually cleared by Doniak of Western New York. McDonald created havoc in the box with a long throw in flicked by Abby Erceg that the Thorns' Amandine Henry cleared off of a teammate before Betos grabbed it. Heath countered in the fourteenth minute with a cross in front of goal that Nadim couldn't connect with. Mewis cleared a Heath corner kick in the fifteenth minute. The Flash started the scoring in the sixteenth minute with a McDonald throw-in that Zerboni whiffed on and Mewis volleyed into the goal after a bad touch from Henry, putting it past Betos for the 1-0 lead. Erceg bodied Meghan Klingenberg off of the ball in the eighteenth minute to prevent a Portland crossing chance. McDonald had a twentieth minute throw that Williams got a shot for, but it was blocked by Portland's defense. Horan, Sinclair, and Nadim combined for a shot that D'Angelo punched away before saving the second shot from Heath after a bad Zerboni clearance in the twenty-second minute. Erceg headed a twenty-third minute throw-in wide left of Betos' goal. Doniak had a cross that McDonald headed off of Reynolds for a corner kick. Dahlkemper sent it for McDonald, but Horan cleared it. Doniak sent the second effort in, and Betos snagged it. In the twenty-eighth minute, Kennedy took a yellow card for fouling Sinclair late. Heath took the free kick, but Mewis cleared it for Western New York. Jaelene Hinkle cleared the second effort for the Flash after a Reynolds return service. Kennedy headed out a Klingenberg cross in the thirty-first minute, but Allie Long got a shot off straight at D'Angelo. Erceg, Mewis, and Williams strung passes together, with Williams' shot parried aside for a corner kick by Betos in the thirty-second minute. Dahlkemper took the set piece for Kennedy or Erceg, but Betos made the catch. Portland tried to make something in the thirty-fourth minute, but the play broke down and caught Nadim offside after Reynolds' service into the box. Erceg fouled Heath in the thirty-fifth minute as the Thorns winger ran among six Flash defenders. Nadim shot the free kick off the wall. Doniak crossed to Williams on the counterattack, and she shot it off the crossbar in the thirty-sixth minute. Hinkle took a Flash free kick for Kennedy but sent it over her head. In the thirty-eighth minute, a McDonald throw-in bounced off of Horan and Long, and then Zerboni found McDonald, who crossed to Doniak on the far post, and she headed it home for a 2-0 Flash lead. In the thirty-ninth minute, Sinclair put Portland on the board after a long ball from Reynolds, shooting against Kennedy to cut the deficit to 2-1. Flash coach Paul Riley was ejected from the game in the fortieth minute after making contact with the fourth official. Erceg couldn't get on McDonald's forty-third minute throw as the game continues with an intense pace. The game went into halftime at 2-1, with the best Flash players being GK D'Angelo, CB Kennedy, DMs Mewis and Erceg, RW Doniak, and RF McDonald, while the top Thorns players have been CB Sonnett, RB Reynolds, DM Henry, RW Nadim, LW Heath, and striker Sinclair. Zerboni's forty-seventh minute cross for Western New York was caught by Betos. Henry fouled Erceg in the forty-ninth minute, giving the Flash a free kick. Dahlkemper went for goal but shot too high. In the fifty-first minute, Doniak and Williams went give-and-go, with Williams taking the shot after Doniak's cross but hitting weakly, and Betos stopped it. Elizabeth Eddy of the Flash took a yellow card for a foul on Heath, giving Portland a dangerous free kick in the fifty-second minute. Heath served it in on goal, and D'Angelo grabbed it. Mewis had a heavy touch in the fifty-fourth minute, and Henry cleared for the Thorns. Hinkle crossed it back in for Doniak, who headed it at Betos' thigh before the keeper covered it. The Flash had a fifty-sixth minute corner kick from Dahlkemper to Erceg, who headed it straight at the Thorns. They were able to clear. Sinclair put in a cross in the fifty-seventh minute, forcing D'Angelo to come out. Eddy blocked the cross and then cleared Nadim's pass for Horan. Doniak sent a fifty-ninth minute cross out of bounds. Williams and Sonnett got into a race for the ball in the sixty-second minute, allowing Betos to cover the ball. On the counterattack, Heath went against Dahlkemper, Eddy, and D'Angelo, with Western New York's keeper eventually claiming it. Henry had a cross to Nadim in the sixty-third minute that was headed wide right. Heath did a sixty-fifth minute corner kick for Long, whose header was deflected for another corner kick. Heath took this one for the near post but it didn't stay in bounds. Dahlkemper blocked a run by Sinclair after an Henry pass. Dahlkemper then took a ball off of Horan's foot to give the Thorns a corner kick in the sixty-seventh minute. Heath went for Sonnett, who couldn't quite keep it in bounds. Klingenberg blocked a Taylor Smith cross in the sixty-eighth minute, halting a Western New York attack. Zerboni took a sixty-ninth minute shot that Betos had to palm away for a corner kick after a return pass from Smith on the long give-and-go. Dahlkemper served it in for Kennedy, who headed it wide left. Smith won a corner kick off of Emily Menges of the Thorns in the seventy-second minute. Dahlkemper went for Erceg, but Heath managed to guide it to safety. Menges managed to keep Williams from shooting in the seventy-fourth minute. Sonnett cleared a Hinkle cross as the Flash continue to own possession. Williams' seventy-fifth minute shot went right at Betos. Dahlkemper received a yellow card for her foul, and Dagny Brynjarssdottir of Portland also had a yellow card. On the set piece resulting from Dahlkemper fouling Horan, Heath put it in the box and D'Angelo misplayed it. Sinclair's shot was blocked by Zerboni, but Sonnett pounded the rebound in to tie the game at 2. Dagny had a shot saved by D'Angelo, and then Mewis cleared a cross from Henry in the eighty-first minute. Heath's eighty-third minute free kick was grabbed by D'Angelo without a challenge. Eddy stopped Heath's run in the eighty-fourth minute, and then Menges blocked McDonald on the counterattack from Western New York. Williams put a cross in that Betos caught. Portland's eighty-sixth minute attack ended with a Long chip that D'Angelo took after a lot of Thorns passes around the attacking six players. Dahlkemper surrendered a corner kick to the Thorns under pressure of Sinclair. Heath took it for Long on the ground, and Williams got the clearance for the Flash. Dahlkemper stole Klingenberg's pass for Sinclair. Heath had a shot that D'Angelo saved with a deflection off of Dahlkemper in the eighty-ninth minute. Dagny won a corner kick off of Hinkle in the ninetieth minute. Heath served it straight to D'Angelo. Dagny flicked a long throw wide left, and then Klingenberg and Heath got shut down by Eddy and Dahlkemper in stoppage time. D'Angelo had to grab a ball over Horan late in the added time. This game will go to overtime tied at 2. Added to the list of halftime honorable mentions, we have the Flash's CB Dahlkemper and LW Zerboni and the Thorns' DM Long and ACM Horan. Dahlkemper cleared a ninety-second minute through ball from Henry. Williams had a cross for the Flash, but Klingenberg cleared it for the Thorns. Erceg and Heath collided at the ball, and Dagny's shot was saved by D'Angelo in the ninety-third minute. Erceg blocked a shot from Henry. Smith had a ninety-fourth minute cross to McDonald that Betos caught just in time. Horan was caught offside on the next Portland chance on a pass from Long. Reynolds won a corner kick for the Thorns off of Kristen Hamilton of Western New York in the ninety-sixth minute. Heath took it, but D'Angelo made a leaping grab. In the ninety-eighth minute, McDonald had a throw-in that glanced off Erceg and then Reynolds, and Williams trickled the ball in for a 3-2 Flash lead. Sinclair and Dagny went give-and-go in midfield before Dagny's cross to Horan, who rattled her shot off the bar so hard it came back out over her head in the 100th minute. Sonnett had a 103rd minute free kick that fell to Heath, but Smith cleared it. Western New York countered with Mewis hard charging through the midfield before finding Williams, who buried her second goal of overtime to make it 4-2 Flash. Horan had a shot blocked in the 105th minute, and Menges broke up the Flash counterattack on a pass from Hamilton to McDonald. In stoppage time for the first half of overtime, Horan buried a shot after Klingenberg's cross was headed by Dagny, and that cut it to 4-3. Adding on to the honorable mentions once more, we have the RW sub Dagny for the Thorns, and the LF Williams for the Flash. Menges blocked a Hamilton cross in the 106th minute. Sonnett blocked a Williams cross in the 107th minute. Long kept Smith off the ball in the box after Klingenberg got burned. Dahlkemper poked a ball away from Horan in the 109th minute. Eddy took a yellow card in the 109th minute for fouling Heath, giving Portland a set piece chance. Heath took it herself straight at goal. Sinclair flipped a 111th minute shot that D'Angelo grabbed on one hop. Henry put a shot wide left in the 112th minute. Hamilton fouled Hayley Raso in the 113th minute, giving the Thorns another free kick. Heath's free kick was grabbed by D'Angelo without trouble. Heath received a yellow card in the 114th minute for fouling Smith. Kennedy shielded Dagny away from an Henry through ball in the 118th minute as the Flash try to hold on. Long and Dahlkemper collided in a big way in the 119th minute, leaving both players down for an extended time. Horan had a header after Klingenberg's cross, and Erceg cleared it for the Flash. Erceg cleared another one as stoppage time began for the last time in this game. Horan had a shot go high from Sonnett's long ball. D'Angelo took a yellow card for time wasting before the goal kick. Eddy shut down Heath with a minute to go, and then Dahlkemper saved a ball off the line from Horan's shot. Kennedy and Eddy blocked efforts from Heath deep in stoppage time. The Flash took the game 4-3, with Williams the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match for her critical brace in overtime.

Outsider Sports NWSL Best XI - Semifinals

GK Kelsey Wys
RB Ali Krieger
CB Emily Sonnett
CB Abby Dahlkemper
LB Casey Short
DM Samantha Mewis
RW Christine Nairn
LW McCall Zerboni
RF Jessica McDonald
CF Francisca Ordega
LF Lynn Williams

The final is one week from today's posting date, October 9 at 5 EDT/2 PDT.

KHL 2016/17 - Day 41

None of today's three games are in Russia. We begin in...

Slovakia, with Slovan Bratislava hosting CSKA Moscow. Ilya Sorokin and Barry Brust are in goal. Moscow led off in the first period with a Kirill Petrov power play goal, going in unassisted. Bratislava tied it in the second period on a Vaclav Nedorost goal, via Ziga Jeglic and Marek Viedensky. CSKA won 2-1 in overtime with a Mikhail Naumenkov goal, courtesy of Bogdan Kiselevich. The three stars were Naumenkov, Sorokin (28 for 29 in saves), and Petrov.

Up in Finland, Jokerit Helsinki welcomes Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Alexei Murygin and Ryan Zapolski are the masked men. Yaroslavl began in the first period with a Denis Osipov goal, assisted by Rushan Rafikov and Yegor Korshkov. Helsinki tied it in the second period on a Jesse Joensuu power play goal, powered by Tommi Huhtala and Peter Regin. Lokomotiv took the lead back with a Korshkov shorthanded and unassisted goal. Jokerit tied it again on a Mika Niemi goal, coming off of Tomi Maki. Helsinki pulled ahead on a Topi Jaakola power play goal, with a lone assist by Sakari Salminen. Yaroslavl tied it again in the third period on a Daniil Apalkov goal, guided in by Yegor Averin and Vladislav Gavrikov. Jokerit regained the lead with a Salminen goal, fueled by Regin and Joensuu. The final held at 4-3, with the three stars being Salminen, Joensuu, and Regin, while Korshkov gets an honorable mention.

Finally, in Croatia, Medvescak Zagreb brings in SKA St. Petersburg. Mikko Koskinen and Danny Taylor are in the blue paint. Zagreb struck first with a Bobby Butler goal in the first period, an unassisted goal. St. Petersburg tied it on an Evgeny Dadonov goal, coming off of Nikita Gusev and Vadim Shipachyov. Medvescak took the lead with a Gilbert Brule power play goal, powered by Jakub Krejcik and Francis Pare. SKA retied it in the second period on a Dadonov power play goal, with assists provided by Gusev and Anton Belov. Zagreb retook the lead on a Tomas Mertl power play goal, going in unassisted. Medvescak added on in the third period with a Shaone Morrisonn goal, fueled by Edwin Hedberg and Pare. St. Petersburg got one back with a Dadonov goal to complete his hat trick, with helpers from Shipachyov and Dinar Khafizullin. SKA tied it as Alexander Barabanov scored, thanks to Ilya Kovalchuk and the goalie Koskinen. Zagreb won 5-4 in overtime with a Goran Bezina goal, helped along by Krejcik and Colby Genoway. The three stars were Dadonov, Krejcik, and Pare, while Shipachyov and Gusev get the honorable mentions.

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Saturday, October 1, 2016

KHL 2016/17 - Day 40

Five games on for today as the schedule calms down a bit for the next week. We begin with...

Sibir Novosibirsk hosting Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Andrei Gavrilov is mismatched with Alexander Salak in goal. Ufa got going in the second period on a Teemu Hartikainen goal, made possible by Maxim Mayorov and Linus Omark. Novosibirsk tied it on an Evgeny Artyukhin power play goal, powered by Ivan Vereshchagin and Nikolai Glukhov. Salavat Yulaev reclaimed the lead in the third period on Hartikainen's second goal of the game, a power play goal assisted by Mayorov and Omark. The final held at 2-1, with the three stars going to Hartikainen, Mayorov, and Omark.

Nearby in Novokuznetsk, Metallurg welcomes the similarly named Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Ilya Samsonov and Andrei Kareyev are in the blue paint. Novokuznetsk opened in the first period with an Artyom Mikheyev goal, assisted by Timur Fatkullin. Novokuznetsk added on in the second period with a Kirill Semyonov goal, via Kirill Lebedev and Denis Vikharev. Magnitogorsk got on the board with a Jan Kovar power play goal, powered by Chris Lee and Sergei Mozyakin. Novokuznetsk shot back with an Evgeny Solovyov goal, passed from Mikheyev. Novokuznetsk extended the lead as Fatkullin scored a power play goal, thanks to Semyonov. Magnitogorsk pulled back on an Oskar Osala power play goal, with a lone assist by Tomas Filippi. Magnitogorsk got closer in the third period with an unassisted Mozyakin goal. Magnitogorsk tied it on a Kovar power play goal, his second of the game, with assists provided by Lee and Mozyakin. The tie went to a shootout, where Danis Zaripov's tally for Magnitogorsk was topped by Semyonov and Nikita Yazkov for Novokuznetsk as the hosts took a 5-4 win. The three stars were Semyonov, Fatkullin, and Mozyakin, while Kovar, Mikheyev, and Lee get the honorable mentions.

Westward to Omsk, with Avangard hosting Traktor Chelyabinsk. Vasily Demchenko and Dominik Furch guard the cages. Omsk started in the first period with a Nikolai Lemtyugov goal, coming off of Evgeny Kulik and Ilya Zubov. Avangard added on in the second period with a Denis Parshin power play goal, powered by Zubov and Erik Gustafsson. Chelyabinsk got on the board in the third period with an Alexander Sharov goal, courtesy of Artyom Borodkin and Ilya Zinovyev. Omsk iced it at 3-1 with a Maxim Pestushko empty net goal, going in unassisted. The three stars went to Furch (35 for 36 in saves), Zubov, and Parshin.

Northwest to Cherepovets, with Severstal bringing in Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Lazushin and Jakub Kovar are the masked men. Cherepovets dented the scoreboard in the second period on an Adam Masuhr goal, guided in by Yury Trubachyov and Anton Sizov. Moscow tied it on a shorthanded goal from Maxim Karpov, set up by Lazushin and Yakov Rylov. Severstal took the lead back with an Evgeny Mons power play goal, powered by Pavel Chernov and Dmitry Kagarlitsky. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars given to Kovar (24 for 25 in saves), Mons, and Masuhr.

Finally, Spartak Moscow hosts Kunlun Red Star Beijing. Andrei Makarov and Markus Svensson are the goalies. Beijing drew first blood in the second period with a Max Warn goal, fueled by Damien Fluery and Zach Yuen. This was the only goal in the game, resulting in a 1-0 win for Kunlun Red Star. The three stars were Makarov (46 save shutout), Warn, and Yuen.

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Friday, September 30, 2016

KHL 2016/17 - Day 39

Five games on for today, beginning with...

Lada Togliatti hosting Jokerit Helsinki. Ryan Zapolski and Ilya Ezhov are in goal. Helsinki opened with a Roope Talaja goal, via Miro Makinen and Petteri Wirtanen. Togliatti tied it in the second period with a Maxim Rybin goal, guided in by Rafael Akhmetov and Vladimir Malenkikh. Lada took the lead with Rybin's second goal of the game, helped along by Alexander Streltsov and Dmitry Sinitsyn. Togliatti added on with a Stanislav Bocharov goal, passed from Alexander Streltsov and Vasily Streltsov in the third period. Lada extended the lead as Alexander Bumagin scored a power play goal, with the help of Taylor Aronson and Mikael Johansson. Jokerit got one back with a Jesse Joensuu goal, coming off of Sakari Salminen. Togliatti replied with an Anton Shenfeld goal, courtesy of Georgy Belousov and Viktor Komarov. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Rybin, Alexander Streltsov, and Bocharov.

Along to Nizhnekamsk, where Neftekhimik welcomes Dinamo Minsk. Ben Scrivens faces a lesser foe in Ville Kolppanen in goal. Minsk started in the first period with a Nick Bailen goal, assisted by Charles Linglet and Matt Ellison. Dinamo added on with an Artur Gavrus goal, fueled by the goalie Scrivens. Nizhnekamsk got on the board with a Nikita Dvurechensky goal, helped along by Bogdan Yakimov. Minsk replied in the second period with a Rob Klinkhammer goal, via Scrivens. Neftekhimik shot back with a Dvurechensky goal, his second of the game, made possible by Yakimov and Dmitry Ogurtsov. Dinamo answered on a Gavrus goal, his second of the night, coming off of Evgeny Lisovets and Andrei Stepanov. This held up for a 4-2 win, with the three stars handed to Gavrus, Dvurechensky, and Scrivens (32 for 34 in saves, two assists), while Yakimov gets an honorable mention.

Up to Yaroslavl, where Lokomotiv hosts Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Alexei Murygin tend the twines. Yaroslavl led off in the first period with a Maxime Talbot goal, courtesy of Mikhail Pashnin and Andrei Loktionov. Podolsk tied it in the second period on an Evgeny Katichev goal, passed from Alexei Kopeikin. Lokomotiv took the lead back on a Talbot power play goal, powered by Brandon Kozun and Staffan Kronwall. Yaroslavl iced it at 3-1 as Alexander Polunin converted a penalty shot after Sateri threw his stick late in the third period. The three stars were Talbot, Murygin (23 for 24 in saves), and Polunin.

Next up, Ak Bars Kazan brings in Dinamo Riga. Jakub Sedlacek and Emil Garipov are the masked men. Riga began in the first period with a power play goal by Patrick Mullen, powered by Colton Gillies. Kazan tied it in the second period on a Mikhail Varnakov goal, with a lone assist by Fyodor Malykhin. Ak Bars took the lead with an Andrei Popov goal, fueled by Damir Musin and Andrei Chibisov. The game eventually closed at the 2-1 score, with the three stars awarded to Garipov (31 for 32 in saves), Popov, and Varnakov.

Finally, Medvescak Zagreb hosts Slovan Bratislava. Barry Brust and Danny Taylor are the North American goalies. Zagreb struck first in the first period with a Thomas Larkin goal, going in unassisted. Medvescak added on with an Alexandre Giroux power play goal, powered by Bobby Butler and Colby Genoway. Zagreb extended the lead in the second period as Gilbert Brule scored an unassisted goal. Medvescak padded the lead with an Edwin Hedberg goal, guided in by Jakub Krejcik and Butler. Zagreb kept going with a Mike Glumac shorthanded and unassisted goal. Zagreb continued on a Giroux power play goal, his second of the game, with assists from Genoway and Goran Bezina. The game ended at 6-0, with the three stars going to Giroux, Butler, and Genoway.

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Thursday, September 29, 2016

KHL 2016/17 - Day 38

Nine games on again today, beginning with...

Sibir Novosibirsk hosting Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasily Koshechkin and Alexander Salak tend the twines. Magnitogorsk led off in the first period with a Jan Kovar goal, via Chris Lee. Metallurg added on with a Sergei Mozyakin goal, passed from Lee and Alexei Bereglazov. Magnitogorsk iced it at 3-0 with a third period empty net goal by Evgeny Timkin, set up by Denis Platonov. The three stars were Koshechkin (38 save shutout), Lee, and Kovar.

Nearby, Metallurg Novokuznetsk welcomes Traktor Chelyabinsk. Pavel Francouz is mismatched with Mikhail Biryukov in goal. Chelyabinsk opened in the first period with a Paul Szczechura power play goal, powered by Nikolai Belov and Dmitry Pestunov. Novokuznetsk tied it in the third period on a Alexei Razumov goal, made possible by Evgeny Solovyov. Traktor took the lead back with a Maxim Yakutsenya power play goal, with a lone assist by Szczechura. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Szczechura, Yakutsenya, and Francouz (28 for 29 in saves).

West to Omsk, with Avangard bringing in Salavat Yulaev. Andrei Gavrilov and Dominik Furch are in the blue paint. Omsk started in the first period with a Nikolai Lemtyugov power play goal, powered by Denis Parshin and Ilya Zubov. Ufa tied it on a Teemu Hartikainen power play goal, via Linus Omark. Salavat Yulaev took the lead with a Mikhail Vorobyov goal, guided in by Kirill Kaprizov and Stepan Khripunov. Ufa added on in the second period with a Maxim Goncharov power play goal, with a lone assist by Enver Lisin. Salavat Yulaev extended the lead as Hartikainen scored his second of the game, a shorthanded goal set up by Maxim Mayorov. Avangard got one back with an Evgeny Medvedev goal, fueled by Maxim Pestushko and Derek Roy. Ufa shot back with an Omark goal, with a lone helper from Hartikainen. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Hartikainen, Omark, and Goncharov.

Along to Cherepovets, where Severstal hosts Admiral Vladivostok. Nikita Serebryakov and Jakub Kovar are the goalies. Cherepovets began in the first period with a Dmitry Kagarlitsky goal, assisted by Vojtech Polak and Pavel Chernov. Vladivostok tied it on a Maxim Mamin goal in the second period, passed from Viktor Alexandrov. Severstal retook the lead on a Polak goal, made possible by Kagarlitsky and Chernov. This stood for the eventual 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Polak, Kagarlitsky, and Chernov.

Down in Sochi, the Leopards welcome Ugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Vladislav Fokin and Konstantin Barulin are the veterans in goal. Khanty-Mansiysk struck first in the first period with a Pavel Medvedev goal, guided in by Artyom Bulyansky and Roman Lyuduchin. Sochi tied it in the third period with an Andrei Kostitsyn goal, coming off of Ilya Krikunov and Igor Ignatushkin. The Leopards took the lead on an Alexander Mereskin goal, passed from Ilya Gorokhov and Vadim Shchegolkov. This made it a 2-1 win, with the three stars handed to Mereskin, Kostitsyn, and Barulin (30 for 31 in saves).

Into Moscow, with CSKA bringing in Amur Khabarovsk. Juha Metsola and Ilya Sorokin guard the cages. Moscow got going in the second period with a Dmitry Kugryshev goal, assisted by Igor Ozhiganov and Valery Nichushkin. Khabarovsk tied it on a Jan Kolar power play goal, powered by Artyom Zub and Vladislav Ushenin. In the shootout, Kugryshev was overwhelmed by Ushenin and Tomas Zohorna as Amur took the 2-1 win. The three stars belonged to Ushenin, Zohorna, and Kugryshev.

Staying in the city, Spartak Moscow hosts Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Igor Ustinsky and Markus Svensson are in the creases. Moscow was first to score in the first period with a Maxim Potapov goal, going in unassisted. Spartak added on with a Vladimir Bobylyov goal, passed from Nikita Li. Moscow extended the lead in the third period with a power play goal from Mikhail Plotnikov, powered by Vyacheslav Leshchenko and Ryan Stoa.

Out to St. Petersburg, where SKA welcomes Kunlun Red Star Beijing. Andrei Makarov and Igor Shestyorkin man the nets. St. Petersburg drew first blood in the first period with a Sergei Shirokov goal, helped along by Anton Belov and Yegor Yakovlev. SKA added on in the second period with a Nikita Gusev goal, with a lone assist by Dinar Khafizullin. St. Petersburg extended the lead in the third period as Vadim Shipachyov scored, thanks to Maxim Chudinov and Khafizullin. The game ended at 3-0, with the three stars awarded to Shestyorkin (19 save shutout), Khafizullin, and Shirokov.

Finally, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod brings in Barys Astana. Henrik Karlsson and Ilya Proskuryakov receive the starting nods in goal. Nizhny Novgorod dented the scoreboard in the first period with a John Norman goal, via Maxim Osipov and Fredrik Pettersson. Astana tied it on a third period Nigel Dawes power play goal, powered by Maxim Semyonov and Brandon Bochenski. Torpedo took the lead with a Kirill Urakov goal, guided in by Daniil Ilyin. Barys retied it on a Corey Trivino goal, assisted by Nikita Ivanov. Nizhny Novgorod won it 3-2 in overtime with a Kaspars Daugavins goal, courtesy of Sam Lofquist and Dmitry Semin. The three stars were Daugavins, Urakov, and Norman.

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MLS Midweek September 28, 2016

Four games on in the middle of the week, as the league tries to get everyone balanced out ahead of the final month of the season. We begin with...

DC United hosting the Columbus Crew SC. Steve Clark and Bill Hamid are in the six-yard boxes. DC got going in the seventy-first minute with a Lloyd Sam goal, assisted by Luciano Acosta. United added on with a Lamar Neagle goal in the eighty-sixth minute, passed from Julian Buescher and Patrick Nyarko. DC extended the lead as Alvaro Saborio scored in the ninetieth minute, thanks to Neagle. This made it 3-0, the final, with the man of the match being Neagle for his goal and assist.

Up in Montreal, the Impact welcome the San Jose Earthquakes. David Bingham and Evan Bush draw the starts in goal. Shaun Francis of San Jose had a yellow card for a twelfth minute foul. Montreal started in the twenty-second minute with a Dominic Oduro goal. The Impact added on with a thirty-second minute Ignacio Piatti goal, helped along by Matteo Mancosu. Montreal had yellow cards for fouls by Hassoun Camara in the fiftieth minute and Victor Cabrera in the fifty-sixth minute. The Earthquakes got on the board in the sixty-second minute with a Chris Wondolowski goal. In the eighty-sixth minute, the Impact's Piatti and Johan Venegas took yellow cards for dissent. In stoppage time, Montreal keeper Bush had a yellow card for time wasting. The Impact iced it at 3-1 a minute later on a Venegas goal, set up by Piatti and Didier Drogba. The man of the match was Piatti for his game-winner and assist.

Staying in Canada, Toronto FC brings in Orlando City SC. Joe Bendik and Alex Bono are the gloved men. Orlando City had a forty-fifth minute yellow card given to Brek Shea for dissent. Toronto's Tosaint Ricketts took a yellow card for a fifty-sixth minute foul. Orlando City took a yellow card for a foul by Cristian Higuita in the sixty-second minute. Toronto went down to ten men in the seventieth minute as Ricketts took a second yellow card for another foul. Toronto's Steven Beitashour had a yellow card for his seventy-fourth minute foul. The game ended at 0-0, with Bono earning man of the match honors for keeping Toronto alive with a three-save clean sheet.

Finally, the Seattle Sounders FC host the Chicago Fire. Sean Johnson and Stefan Frei are between the posts. Seattle opened in the twenty-fourth minute on a Chad Marshall goal, assisted by Andreas Ivanschitz. In the fifty-eighth minute, the Sounders' Nicolas Lodeiro took a yellow card for delaying the restart of play. In the seventy-fifth minute, Chicago's Razvan Cocis took a yellow card for diving. The game ended 1-0, with Marshall the man of the match for his winner.

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Wednesday, September 28, 2016

KHL 2016/17 - Day 37

Four games today, beginning with...

Lada Togliatti hosting Dinamo Minsk. Ben Scrivens and Ilya Ezhov are in goal. Togliatti led off in the first period with a Maxim Rybin power play goal, powered by Yefim Gurkin. Minsk tied it in the second period with a Rob Klinkhammer goal, via Kristian Khenkel and Lukas Krajicek. Lada retook the lead in the third period with a Stanislav Bocharov goal, guided in by Dmitry Kostromitin. Dinamo retied it with a Sergei Drozd goal, fueled by Nick Bailen. Minsk took the lead with a power play goal by Alexander Materukhin, helped along by Alexander Pavlovich. The game ended at 3-2, with the three stars given to Materukhin, Drozd, and Klinkhammer.

Along to Nizhnekamsk, where Neftekhimik welcomes Dinamo Riga. Janis Kalnins and Ivan Lisutin are in the blue paint. Nizhnekamsk began in the first period with a Nikita Shchitov goal, assisted by Richard Gynge and Dmitry Makarov. Neftekhimik added on with an Igor Polygalov goal, passed from Andrei Sergeyev and Dan Sexton. Riga got on the board with a second period power play goal by Mikelis Redlihs, powered by Pyotr Schastlivy and Guntis Galvins. Nizhnekamsk replied with a Tomi Sallinen power play goal, with assists provided by Sexton and Polygalov. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars given to Lisutin (45 for 46 in saves), Polygalov, and Sexton.

Next up, Ak Bars Kazan brings in Jokerit Helsinki. Riku Helenius and Emil Garipov are the masked men. Kazan opened in the first period with a Justin Azevedo power play goal, powered by Vasily Tokranov and Vladimir Tkachyov. Helsinki tied it in the second period with a Michael Keranen power play goal, helped along by Ville Lajunen and Joey Hishon. Ak Bars shot back with an Alexander Svitov power play goal, via Azevedo and Tkachyov. Kazan added on with a Jiri Sekac power play goal in the third period, coming off of Tokranov and Azevedo. Ak Bars extended the lead as Andrei Chibisov scored an unassisted goal. Jokerit got one back on a Jesse Joensuu power play goal, courtesy of Mika Niemi and Peter Regin. The game ended at 4-2, with the three stars being Azevedo, Tkachyov, and Tokranov.

Finally, Dynamo Moscow hosts Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Alexander Yeryomenko make the starts in goal. Moscow started in the first period with an Ivan Igumnov goal, fueled by Konstantin Gorovikov and Denis Kokarev. Dynamo added on with a Semyon Kokuyov goal in the second period, coming off of Maxim Solovyov and Mat Robinson. Moscow extended the lead as Kokarev scored an empty net goal, set up by Igumnov. The three stars of the 3-0 game were Igumnov, Yeryomenko (21 save shutout), and Kokarev.

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