Tuesday, March 21, 2017

NHL 2016/17 - Day 154

Eleven games on for tonight, beginning with...

The Buffalo Sabres hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Matt Murray and Robin Lehner are the solid goalies. Pittsburgh began in the first period with a Sidney Crosby power play goal, his forty-first of the season, powered by Justin Schultz and Conor Sheary. Buffalo tied it in the third period on a Sam Reinhart goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Hudson Fasching and Marcus Foligno. The Penguins took the lead back with a Nick Bonino goal, his fifteenth of the season, passed from Ian Cole and Tom Kuhnhackl. Pittsburgh added on with an unassisted Sheary goal, his twenty-first of the year. This made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars going to Sheary, Murray (29 for 30 in saves), and Bonino.

Down in DC, the Washington Capitals welcome the Calgary Flames. Brian Elliott and Braden Holtby protect the nets. Washington led off in the first period with an Evgeny Kuznetsov goal, his seventeenth of the season, courtesy of Andre Burakovsky. Calgary tied it on a Sean Monahan goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, via Johnny Gaudreau and Alex Chiasson. The Capitals retook the lead in the second period with a T.J. Oshie goal, his thirtieth of the season, assisted by Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. Washington added on with a Kevin Shattenkirk power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Ovechkin and Backstrom. The Flames got one back in the third period with a Troy Brouwer goal, his eleventh of the season, coming off of Deryk Engelland and Kris Versteeg. The Capitals shot back with an Ovechkin power play goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, with assists provided by Shattenkirk and Backstrom, the latter earning a sock trick. The final stood at 4-2, with the three stars given to Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Shattenkirk.

Backtracking to Boston, where the Bruins bring in the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Tuukka Rask guard the cages. Ottawa opened in the first period with a Tom Pyatt goal, his eighth of the season, made possible by Cody Ceci and Mike Hoffman. Boston tied it on a David Krejci power play goal, his twenty-first of the year, powered by Ryan Spooner and Torey Krug. The Senators took the lead back in the second period with a Kyle Turris power play goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, helped along by Erik Karlsson and Hoffman. The Bruins tied it on a Krug power play goal, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted in the third period. Ottawa reclaimed the lead with a Turris goal in the third period, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the campaign, via Dion Phaneuf and Chris Wideman. The final held at 3-2, with the three stars given to Turris, Krug, Hoffman.

Next up, the New Jersey Devils host the New York Rangers. Antti Raanta and Cory Schneider draw the starts in goal. New Jersey got going in the second period with a John Quenneville goal, via Joseph Blandisi and Pavel Zacha on the power play. New York tied it on an Oscar Lindberg goal, his seventh of the season, helped along by Pavel Buchnevich and Ryan McDonagh. The Devils took the lead with a Taylor Hall goal, his eighteenth of the year, assisted by Kyle Palmieri. The Rangers tied it again with a Rick Nash power play goal in the third period, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Kevin Hayes and Brady Skjei. New Jersey won 3-2 in overtime with a Blandisi goal, his third of the year, with a lone assist from Quenneville. The three stars went to Blandisi, Quenneville, and Schneider (38 for 40 in saves).

Up in Montreal, the Canadiens welcome the Detroit Red Wings. Jimmy Howard and Al Montoya are called on to start in goal. Detroit started in the first period with a Justin Abdelkader power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Niklas Kronwall and Frans Nielsen. Montreal tied it in the third period with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, his thirteenth of the year, helped along by Nathan Beaulieu. The Red Wings won 2-1 in overtime with an Anthony Mantha goal, his fifteenth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Danny DeKeyser. The three stars were Mantha, Howard (35 for 36 in saves), and Abdelkader.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Lightning bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Louis Domingue and Andrei Vasilevskiy are in the blue paint. Arizona struck first in the first period with a Christian Fischer goal, his third of the season, passed from Lawson Crouse and Josh Jooris. Tampa Bay tied it on a Victor Hedman goal, his fifteenth of the year, via Nikita Kucherov. The Coyotes took the lead back in the second period with a Christian Dvorak goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Max Domi and Connor Murphy. The Lightning tied it again on a Kucherov goal, his thirty-fourth of the year, helped along by Ondrej Palat. Tampa Bay took the lead with a Vladislav Namestnikov goal, his tenth of the season, courtesy of Jonathan Drouin. Arizona tied it again in the third period with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal, his twelfth of the year, guided in by Domi and Anthony Duclair. The Coyotes took the lead with a Radim Vrbata goal, his eighteenth of the season, with helpers from Alex Goligoski and Ekman-Larsson. Arizona iced it at 5-3 with a shorthanded empty net goal by Murphy, his second of the year, going in unassisted. The three stars went to Ekman-Larsson, Domi, and Murphy, while Kucherov gets an honorable mention.

Staying in the state, the Florida Panthers host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Reto Berra are the poor goalies. Florida was first to score in the first period with an Aleksander Barkov goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Jason Demers and Jaromir Jagr. Carolina tied it on a Teuvo Teravainen power play goal, his fifteenth of the year, powered by Jordan Staal and Sebastian Aho. The Panthers took the lead back with a Reilly Smith goal, his twelfth of the season, via Jussi Jokinen and Vincent Trocheck. The Hurricanes tied it on an Aho shorthanded goal, his twenty-first of the year, set up by Elias Lindholm. Florida took the lead in the second period with a Keith Yandle goal, his fifth of the season, made possible by Demers and Jagr. Carolina tied it once again with a Jeff Skinner goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, fueled by Lee Stempniak and Jaccob Slavin. The Hurricanes took the lead in the third period with another Skinner goal, his second of the game and twenty-eighth of the campaign, with a lone assist by Derek Ryan. This stood for a 4-3 win, with the three stars being Skinner, Aho, and Jagr, while Demers gets an honorable mention.

Back north, the Winnipeg Jets welcome the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve Mason and Michael Hutchinson play goal. Philadelphia dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Jordan Weal goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Wayne Simmonds and Claude Giroux. Winnipeg tied it on a Mathieu Perreault power play goal, his ninth of the year, powered by Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele. The Jets took the lead with a Wheeler goal in the third period, his twenty-second of the season, via Scheifele and Perreault. Winnipeg added on with a Scheifele goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, with a lone assist by Wheeler. The Flyers got one back with a Michael Del Zotto shorthanded goal, his sixth of the campaign, going in unassisted. This only made it 3-2, with the three stars being Wheeler, Scheifele, and Perreault.

Stateside, the Chicago Blackhawks bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller and Corey Crawford are the veteran goalies. Vancouver opened in the first period with a Henrik Sedin goal, his fourteenth of the season, via Daniel Sedin and Michael Chaput. The Canucks added on in the second period with a Brandon Sutter goal, his sixteenth of the year, passed from Jayson Megna. Chicago got on the board with a Ryan Hartman power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by Marian Hossa and Nick Schmaltz. Vancouver answered with a Reid Boucher goal, his fourth of the year, fueled by Christipher Tanev and Sven Baertschi. The Canucks extended the lead in the third period as Sutter scored his second of the game and seventeenth of the season, thanks to Jack Skille and Alexander Edler. The Blackhawks pulled back on a Hossa power play goal, his twenty-third of the year, with assists provided by Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell. Chicago pulled closer with a Richard Panik goal, his twentieth of the season, assisted by Trevor van Riemsdyk and Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks tied it as Hartman scored his second of the game and eighteenth of the year, with the help of Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith. Vancouver won 5-4 in overtime with a Daniel Sedin power play goal, his fourteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Daniel Sedin, Sutter, and Hartman, while Hossa gets an honorable mention.

Up in Minnesota, the Wild host the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Devan Dubnyk tend the twines. Minnesota started in the first period with a Matt Dumba power play goal, his tenth of the season, powered by Zach Parise and Eric Staal. San Jose tied it in the second period with a David Schlemko goal, his third of the year, via Joe Pavelski and Dylan DeMelo. The Wild retook the lead with a Jason Pominville goal, his twelfth of the season, courtesy of Martin Hanzal and Nino Niederreiter. Minnesota added on with a Charlie Coyle goal, his seventeenth of the year, assisted by Parise. The Sharks got one back with a Patrick Marleau goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, going in unassisted. The final held at 3-2, with the three stars given to Coyle, Parise, and Pominville.

Finally, the Colorado Avalanche host the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Calvin Pickard are between the pipes. Colorado struck first in the first period with a John Mitchell goal, his third of the season, via Carl Soderberg and Blake Comeau. St. Louis tied it in the second period with a Patrik Berglund goal, his twentieth of the year, made possible by Zach Sanford and David Perron. The Blues took the lead with a Magnus Paajarvi goal in the third period, his sixth of the season, coming off of Ivan Barbashev and Sanford. St. Louis added on with a Jaden Schwartz goal, his fifteenth of the year, with a lone assist by Vladimir Tarasenko. The Avalanche got one back with a Mark Barberio goal, his second of the season, helped along by Tyson Barrie and Mitchell. The Blues iced it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Berglund, his second of the game and twenty-first of the year, set up by Perron and Kyle Brodziak. The three stars went to Berglund, Mitchell, and Sanford, while Perron gets an honorable mention.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

Monday, March 20, 2017

NHL 2016/17 - Day 153

Five games on tonight, beginning with...

The Detroit Red Wings hosting the Buffalo Sabres. Robin Lehner and Petr Mrazek make the starts in goal. Buffalo led off in the first period with a Jack Eichel power play goal, his twenty-first of the season, powered by Ryan O'Reilly and Rasmus Ristolainen. The Sabres added on with a Matt Moulson power play goal in the second period, his fourteenth of the year, via Tyler Ennis and Jake McCabe. Detroit got on the board with a Tomas Tatar goal, his twenty-first of the campaign, coming off of Mike Green and Henrik Zetterberg. The final stood at 2-1, with the three stars going to Lehner (34 for 35 in saves), Moulson, and Eichel.

Next up, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the Boston Bruins. Tuukka Rask and Frederik Andersen draw the starts. Boston began in the first period with a David Backes goal, his sixteenth of the season, made possible by Brad Marchand. Toronto tied it on a Morgan Rielly goal, his sixth of the year, via Mitchell Marner and James van Riemsdyk. The Maple Leafs took the lead in the third period with a Tyler Bozak power play goal, his seventeenth of the season, powered by van Riemsdyk and Nikita Zaitsev. Toronto added on with a William Nylander empty net goal, his nineteenth of the year, set up by Auston Matthews. The Maple Leafs extended the lead as Nazem Kadri scored an empty net goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, with the help of Connor Brown and Roman Polak. The Bruins got one back with a Dominic Moore goal, his eleventh of the year, with a lone assist by Noel Acciari. The final was 4-2, with the three stars being van Riemsdyk, Andersen (32 for 34 in saves), and Nylander.

Down in Nashville, the Predators host the Arizona Coyotes. Mike Smith and Pekka Rinne play goal. Nashville got going in the second period with a Viktor Arvidsson goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, going in unassisted. The Predators added on with a Ryan Ellis goal, his thirteenth of the year, courtesy of Craig Smith and Roman Josi. Nashville extended the lead in the third period as Ellis scored his second of the game and fourteenth of the season, thanks to Smith and Mike Fisher. Arizona got on the board with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Christian Dvorak and Anthony Duclair. This only made it 3-1, the final, with the three stars handed to Ellis, Smith, and Rinne (25 for 26 in saves).

Southwest to Dallas, where the Stars bring in the San Jose Sharks. Aaron Dell and Kari Lehtonen are in the blue paint. Dallas dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Curtis McKenzie goal, his fifth of the season, helped along by Adam Cracknell and Jiri Hudler. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the three stars handed to Lehtonen (30 save shutout), McKenzie, and Dell (19 for 20 in saves).

Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Cam Talbot guard the cages. Edmonton struck first in the first period with a Patrick Maroon goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, made possible by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers added on with a Milan Lucic power play goal, his seventeenth of the year, powered by McDavid and Draisaitl. The final remained at 2-0, with the three stars awarded to Talbot (35 save shutout), McDavid, and Draisaitl.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

NHL 2016/17 - Day 152

Seven games on today as the playoff race is officially underway. The Washington Capitals clinched yesterday, leaving 15 open spots up for grabs. We begin in...

New Jersey, where the Devils host the soon-to-clinch Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Cory Schneider guard the cages. Columbus opened in the first period with a shorthanded penalty shot goal by Lukas Sedlak, his seventh of the season. The Blue Jackets added on with a shorthanded Boone Jenner goal, his fifteenth of the year, set up by Jack Johnson and David Savard. New Jersey got on the board with an Adam Henrique power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Pavel Zacha. Columbus added on in the second period with a Brandon Dubinsky penalty shot goal, his eleventh of the year. The Blue Jackets iced it at 4-1 with a Jenner empty net goal, his sixteenth of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Jenner, Bobrovsky (35 for 36 in saves), and Sedlak.

Over in Pittsburgh, the also-close-to-clinching Penguins welcome the Florida Panthers. James Reimer and Marc-Andre Fleury draw the starts in goal. Pittsburgh started in the first period with a Patric Hornqvist goal, his eighteenth of the season, helped along by Phil Kessel and Matt Cullen. The Penguins added on in the second period with a Sidney Crosby goal, his thirty-eighth of the year, via Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Crosby scored his second of the game and thirty-ninth of the season, with the help of Guentzel and Sheary. The Penguins padded the lead in the third period when Crosby finished a natural hat trick on his fortieth of the year, and Guentzel and Sheary each picked up assists for natural sock tricks as well. The three stars were Crosby, Guentzel, and Sheary in the 4-0 Penguins win.

Over in Winnipeg, the Jets bring in the Minnesota Wild. Devan Dubnyk and Connor Hellebuyck are the goalies. Winnipeg led off in the first period with an Andrew Copp goal, his ninth of the season, via Adam Lowry and Joel Armia. The Jets added on with a Lowry power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Mathieu Perreault and Blake Wheeler. Winnipeg extended the lead as Ben Chiarot scored his second of the season, thanks to Bryan Little. The Jets padded the lead on a Dustin Byfuglien goal in the second period, his twelfth of the year, coming off of Wheeler and Perreault. Minnesota got on the board with a Charlie Coyle goal, his sixteenth of the season, fueled by Zach Parise. The Wild chipped closer with a Mikael Granlund power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, helped along by Mikko Koivu and Jonas Brodin. Minnesota pulled closer with a Chris Stewart goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Jared Spurgeon and Jason Zucker. The Wild tied it on another Stewart goal, his second of the game and thirteenth of the year, guided in by Erik Haula and Tyler Graovac. Michael Hutchinson replaced Hellebuyck in goal in the third period. Winnipeg regained the lead with a third period goal by Josh Morrissey, his fifth of the campaign, courtesy of Brian Strait and Mark Scheifele. The final held at 5-4, with the three stars going to Lowry, Perreault, and Wheeler, while Stewart gets an honorable mention.

Down in Chicago, the Blackhawks host the Colorado Avalanche. Jeremy Smith and Scott Darling are the backups in goal. Chicago began in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his thirty-second of the season, assisted by Artemi Panarin and Nick Schmaltz. Colorado tied it on a Mikhail Grigorenko goal, his eighth of the year, going in unassisted. The Avalanche took the lead with a Grigorenko goal, his second of the game and ninth of the season, passed from Tyson Barrie and Fedor Tyutin. Colorado added on in the second period with a Sven Andrighetto goal, his fourth of the year, via Mark Barberio and Mikko Rantanen. The Blackhawks got one back in the third period on a Jonathan Toews goal, his nineteenth of the season, helped along by John Hayden and Duncan Keith. Chicago tied it with a Richard Panik goal, his nineteenth of the year, coming off of Hayden and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks pulled ahead with a Panarin goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, made possible by Schmaltz and Kane. Chicago extended the lead as Toews scored his second of the game and twentieth of the year, with the help of Niklas Hjalmarsson and Trevor van Riemsdyk. The Blackhawks padded the lead with a Marcus Kruger empty net goal, his third of the campaign, set up by Tanner Kero. The final held at 6-3, with the three stars being Toews, Kane, and Panarin, while Grigorenko, Schmaltz, and Hayden get the honorable mentions.

Back northeast, the Montreal Canadiens bring in the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Carey Price tend the twines. Montreal struck first in the first period with a Tomas Plekanec goal, his eighth of the season, via Andrei Markov and Paul Byron. Ottawa tied it on a Tom Pyatt goal, his seventh of the year, coming off of Mike Hoffman and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The Canadiens retook the lead with a Jordie Benn goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Nathan Beaulieu and Alexander Radulov. Montreal added on with a Byron goal, his twentieth of the year, helped along by Brendan Gallagher and Shea Weber. The Canadiens extended the lead as Beaulieu scored a power play goal, his third of the campaign, powered by Andrew Shaw and Phillip Danault. The final stood at 4-1, with the three stars given to Byron, Beaulieu, and Price (30 for 31 in saves).

Stateside, the Philadelphia Flyers welcome the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Steve Mason are the experienced goalies. Philadelphia was first to score in the first period with an Ivan Provorov goal, his sixth of the season, assisted by Andrew MacDonald and Sean Couturier. The Flyers added on in the second period with a Dale Weise goal, his fourth of the year, with a lone assist by Valtteri Filppula. Carolina got on the board with a Jeff Skinner goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, made possible by Noah Hanifin and Teuvo Teravainen. The Hurricanes tied it on an Elias Lindholm goal, his ninth of the year, coming off of Phillip Di Giuseppe and Victor Rask. Carolina took the lead in the third period with a Jordan Staal power play goal, his fifteenth of the season, powered by Lindholm and Sebastian Aho. Philadelphia retied it on a Travis Konecny goal, his eleventh of the year, helped along by Provorov and Couturier. The Flyers won 4-3 in overtime with a Brayden Schenn goal, his twenty-second of the campaign, with assists provided by Couturier, who got a sock trick, and Provorov. The three stars went to Provorov, Couturier, and Lindholm.

Finally, the Calgary Flames host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Brian Elliott are the masked men. Calgary drew first blood in the first period with a Sean Monahan goal, his twenty-third of the season, helped along by Johnny Gaudreau and Alex Chiasson. The Flames added on with a Michael Stone goal, his third of the year, via Gaudreau and Monahan. Los Angeles got on the board with an Anze Kopitar goal, his tenth of the season, coming off of Dustin Brown and Jarome Iginla. Calgary replied in the second period with a Mark Giordano goal, his twelfth of the year, courtesy of Dougie Hamilton and Mikael Backlund. The Flames extended the lead as Gaudreau scored his sixteenth of the season, thanks to Monahan and T.J. Brodie. The Kings got one back with a Nic Dowd goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Paul LaDue and Jake Muzzin. Calgary iced it at 5-2 with a Kris Versteeg goal in the third period, his thirteenth of the campaign, set up by Curtis Lazar. The three stars were Gaudreau, Monahan, and Giordano.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

MLS 2017: Week 3

All teams are in action this week, with ten games on Saturday and a special homecoming for the defending champions as the only Sunday game. Let's begin with...

New York City FC hosting the Montreal Impact. Evan Bush and Sean Johnson are in goal. New York City began in the forty-fourth minute on a Rodney Wallace goal. Montreal's Hernan Bernardello took a fifty-seventh minute yellow card for a foul. The Impact tied it in the sixty-eighth minute on a Dominic Oduro goal, made possible by Patrice Bernier. Maxime Chanot of New York City had a yellow card for an eighty-sixth minute foul.

Down in Georgia, Atlanta United welcomes the Chicago Fire. Jorge Bava and Alec Kann are the goalies. Atlanta got an early gift in the fourth minute when Chicago's Brandon Vincent produced an own goal. The Fire went down to ten men in the eleventh minute when Johan Kappelhof took a straight red card for denial of an obvious scoring chance. Atlanta took a yellow card for a fifteenth minute foul by Julian Gressel. Chicago's Bava took a yellow card in the eighteenth minute for time wasting. Atlanta had another yellow card for a Miguel Almiron foul in the forty-fifth minute. Atlanta added on in the sixtieth minute with a Josef Martinez goal, via Almiron. Atlanta extended the lead in the sixty-seventh minute as Hector Villalba scored. Atlanta padded the lead with another Martinez goal in the eighty-second minute, guided in by Yamil Asad. This made it 4-0, the final, with the man of the match being Martinez for his brace.

Way northwest, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC brings in Toronto FC. Alexander Bono and Spencer Richey are the backups in goal. In the seventieth minute, Brek Shea had two yellow cards for a foul and dissent, putting Vancouver down to ten men. Toronto got going in the seventy-sixth minute with a Victor Vazquez goal, assisted by Jozy Altidore and Raheem Edwards. Toronto added on in the eightieth minute with an Altidore goal, coming off of Jonathan Osorio. Toronto took a yellow card for an eighty-seventh minute foul by Michael Bradley. The final stood at 2-0 with the man of the match being Altidore for his goal and assist.

Back east, DC United hosts the Columbus Crew SC. Zack Steffen and Bill Hamid are in the six-yard boxes. DC had a yellow card for time wasting by Ian Harkes in the seventeenth minute. Columbus led off in the thirty-eighth minute with a Federico Higuain. DC took a yellow card in the forty-first minute for dissent by Lloyd Sam. Harrison Afful of the Crew took a yellow card for time wasting in first half stoppage time. Columbus added on with a penalty kick goal in the sixty-seventh minute from Ola Kamara. Marcelo Sarvas took a yellow card for DC in the seventieth minute for dissent. The Crew's Josh Williams had a yellow card in the seventy-second minute for a foul. The Crew won 2-0, with the man of the match being Steffen for a three-save clean sheet.

Down in Florida, Orlando City SC welcomes the Philadelphia Union. Andre Blake and Joe Bendik are the gloved men. Orlando City had a yellow card for a twenty-fifth minute Carlos Rivas instance of failing to retreat. Philadelphia had a yellow card for an Oguchi Onyewu foul in the twenty-eighth minute. Orlando City started in the thirty-ninth minute with a Cyle Larin goal, assisted by Rivas and Jonathan Spector. The Union tied it in the fifty-second minute with a C.J. Sapong goal. Orlando City retook the lead in the seventy-third on another Larin goal, made possible by Matias Perez Garcia. In the eightieth minute, Haris Medunjanin of Philadelphia and Garcia of Orlando City each took yellow cards for fouls. Orlando City's Spector took a yellow card in the eighty-second minute for dissent. The final stood at 2-1, with the man of the match being Larin for his brace.

West to Texas, where FC Dallas brings in the New England Revolution. Cody Cropper and Chris Seitz are set to start in goal. New England opened in the tenth minute with a Lee Nguyen penalty kick. Roland Lamah of Dallas had a yellow card for a foul in the thirty-seventh minute. Dallas had another yellow card for a Maynor Figueroa foul in the fifty-fourth minute. Dallas tied it in the seventy-first minute with a Maximiliano Urruti. Juan Agudelo took a yellow card for the Revolution for his seventy-third minute foul. Dallas took the lead with a seventy-seventh Urruti goal, his second of the game. This made it 2-1, the final, with the man of the match being Urruti for the quick brace.

Up in Missouri, Sporting Kansas City hosts the San Jose Earthquakes. David Bingham and Tim Melia are the keepers. Kansas City's Dominic Dwyer had a yellow card a dive in the sixteenth minute. Sporting struck first in the thirty-seventh minute with a Benny Feilhaber goal, set up by Graham Zusi. San Jose had a yellow card for a Marco Urena foul in the fifty-second minute. In the eighty-fourth minute, Zusi had a yellow card for Kansas City for his foul. Sporting added on in the eighty-ninth minute when Earthquakes keeper Bingham knocked the ball into his own net. San Jose got one back in stoppage time with a Florian Jungwirth goal, coming off of Danny Hoesen and Anibal Godoy. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the man of the match being Feilhaber.

Further west to Colorado, where the Rapids welcome Minnesota United FC. Bobby Shuttleworth and Tim Howard are between the posts. Colorado was first to score in the seventeenth minute with a Dominique Badji goal. Minnesota's Collen Warner took a yellow card for time wasting in the forty-first minute. Minnesota tied it in the fiftieth minute on a Kevin Molino penalty kick goal. Sam Cronin of the Rapids had a fifty-sixth minute yellow card for his foul. Minnesota took the lead in the fifty-eighth minute with a Christian Ramirez goal, set up by Jerome Thiesson. Colorado retied it on a fifty-ninth minute by Marlon Hairston, via Marc Burch. In the sixty-fourth minute, Minnesota's Thiesson took a yellow card for a foul. Minnesota went down to ten men in the seventieth minute for a Justin Davis foul that procured a straight red card. Mekeil Williams of the Rapids had a yellow card for an eighty-ninth minute foul. Minnesota saw yellow cards in stoppage time for time wasting by Shuttleworth and a foul by Abu Danladi. The game ended 2-2, with the man of the match being Hairston for his quick equalizer.

Over in Utah, Real Salt Lake bring in the Los Angeles Galaxy. Clement Diop and Nick Rimando draw the starts in goal. Salt Lake got going in the eighteenth minute with a Yura Movsisyan goal, via Albert Rusnak. Real had yellow cards for fouls by Kyle Beckerman and Luke Mulholland in the thirty-fourth minute. Salt Lake saw Beckerman get ejected in the forty-fourth minute for a second yellow card on another foul. Los Angeles had a yellow card for a Romain Alessandrini foul in first half stoppage time. In the sixty-first minute, Rusnak of Real took a yellow card for a foul. The Galaxy tied it in the sixty-ninth minute with a Dave Romney goal, passed from Alessandrini. Los Angeles took the lead in the seventy-fourth minute on an Emmanuel Boateng goal, coming off of Alessandrini. Nathan Smith of the Galaxy had a yellow card for an eighty-ninth minute foul. Chris Schuler of Salt Lake had a yellow card for his foul in the ninetieth minute. The game ended 2-1 Galaxy, with the man of the match being Alessandrini.

Saturday ends with the Portland Timbers hosting the Houston Dynamo. Tyler Deric and Jake Gleeson tend the nets. Portland dented the scoreboard in the eleventh minute with a Diego Valeri penalty kick goal. The Timbers had yellow cards for fouls by David Guzman in the twentieth minute and Roy Miller in the thirty-fourth minute, as well as a handball by Diego Chara and dissent by Sebastian Blanco in the thirty-seventh minute. Houston tied it on an Erick Torres penalty kick goal in the thirty-eighth minute. The Dynamo's Torres also took a yellow card for dissent in the thirty-ninth minute. Houston took the lead in first half stoppage time with a Romell Quioto goal, set up by Alberth Elis. Portland retied it in the fifty-eighth minute on a Valeri goal, helped along by Zarek Valentin and Fanendo Adi. The Timbers took the lead with a sixty-sixth minute goal by Guzman. In the seventy-sixth minute, Darlington Nagbe of Portland had a yellow card for dissent. The Timbers iced it at 4-2 with an Adi goal in the eighty-eighth minute, made possible by Guzman. The man of the match was Valeri for his brace.

The lone Sunday game has the Seattle Sounders FC hosting the New York Red Bulls. Luis Robles and Stefan Frei guard the nets. New York had yellow cards for fouls by Felipe in the twenty-fifth minute and Robles in the twenty-seventh minute. The latter of those led to Seattle's opener, a Clint Dempsey penalty kick in the twenty-eighth minute sent straight down the middle. Fredrik Gulbrandsen took a yellow card for the Red Bulls in the thirtieth minute for a dive. New York tied it in the fifty-seventh minute on a Bradley Wright-Phillips goal, coming off of Sal Zizzo. Wright-Phillips took a yellow card in the sixty-second minute for a foul for the Red Bulls. The Sounders took the lead back in the sixty-sixth minute on a Jordan Morris goal, set up by Nicolas Lodeiro and Joevin Jones. Seattle's Dempsey had a yellow card for a foul in the seventy-eighth minute. The Sounders added on with a seventy-ninth minute Harry Shipp goal, courtesy of Jones. Alvaro Fernandez of Seattle took a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The Sounders won 3-1, with the man of the match being Morris. 

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

KHL Eastern Conference Semifinal: 2) Avangard Omsk VS. 3) Ak Bars Kazan

The second round of the 2017 KHL playoffs is now underway. This Eastern Conference Semifinal features Avangard Omsk and Ak Bars Kazan.

Game 1: Omsk Arena, Omsk, Russia. In goal: Emil Garipov of Ak Bars and Dominik Furch of Avangard. Kazan got going in the second period with an Alexander Svitov power play goal, powered by Vladimir Tkachyov and Jiri Sekac. Omsk tied it in the third period with an Evgeny Medvedev goal, passed from Anton Burdasov and Ilya Mikheyev. Ak Bars won 2-1 in overtime with an Artyom Lukoyanov goal, fueled by Rafael Batyrshin and the goalie Garipov. The three stars went to Garipov (25 for 26 in saves), Lukoyanov, and Svitov. Ak Bars leads the series 1-0.

Game 2: Omsk Arena, Omsk, Russia. In goal: Emil Garipov of Ak Bars and Dominik Furch of Avangard. Kazan dented the scoreboard in the third period with a Fyodor Malykhin goal, via Justin Azevedo and Vladimir Tkachyov on the power play. Ak Bars iced it at 2-0 with an unassisted empty net goal by Michal Jordan. The three stars went to Malykhin, Garipov (24 save shutout), and Jordan. Ak Bars heads home with a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3: TatNeft Arena, Kazan, Russia: In goal: Dominik Furch of Avangard and Emil Garipov of Ak Bars. Kazan led off in the first period with an Artyom Lukoyanov goal, guided in by Rafael Batyrshin and Fyodor Malykhin. Ak Bars added on with an Andrei Popov power play goal, powered by Michal Jordan and Albert Yarullin. Omsk got on the board with an Ilya Zubov goal, fueled by Ilya Mikheyev and Jonas Ahnelov. Kazan replied with an Anton Glinkin goal, courtesy of Mikhail Glukhov and Popov. Avangard got one back with a Zubov power play goal, assisted by Evgeny Medvedev and Nikita Nikitin. Omsk tied it in the third period with a Valentin Pyanov power play goal, with assists provided by Medvedev and Zubov. Avangard won 4-3 in overtime on a David Booth goal, helped along by Nikolai Lemtyugov and Medvedev, the latter earning a sock trick. The three stars were Zubov, Medvedev, and Popov. Ak Bars still leads the series 2-1.

Game 4: TatNeft Arena, Kazan, Russia: In goal: Dominik Furch of Avangard and Emil Garipov of Ak Bars. Kazan began in the first period with an Alexander Svitov goal, passed from Vasily Tokranov. Ak Bars added on with an Andrei Popov goal, helped along by Stepan Zakharchuk and Damir Musin. Omsk got on the board in the third period with a Nikolai Lemtyugov goal, assisted by Vladimir Sobotka. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars handed to Garipov (26 for 27 in saves), Popov, and Svitov. Ak Bars goes on the road with a 3-1 series lead and a chance to advance next time out.

Game 5: Omsk Arena, Omsk, Russia. In goal: Emil Garipov of Ak Bars and Dominik Furch of Avangard. Omsk opened in the first period with a Nikolai Lemtyugov goal, assisted by Alexander Perezhogin. Avangard added on in the second period with an Anton Burdasov goal, via Evgeny Medvedev and Yegor Martynov. Omsk extended the lead in the third period as Ilya Zubov scored a power play goal, with the help of Mikhail Grigoryev and Medvedev. Kazan got on the board with a Jiri Sekac power play goal, powered by Vladimir Tkachyov and Alexander Svitov. Avangard iced it at 4-1 with a Burdasov goal, with a lone helper by Vladimir Sobotka. The three stars were Burdasov, Medvedev, and Furch (31 for 32 in saves). The series heads back to Kazan with Ak Bars still ahead 3-2. 

Game 6: TatNeft Arena, Kazan, Russia: In goal: Dominik Furch of Avangard and Emil Garipov of Ak Bars. Kazan started in the first period with a Fyodor Malykhin power play goal, powered by Justin Azevedo and Vladimir Tkachyov. Ak Bars added on in the second period with a Jiri Sekac power play goal, with assists provided by Tkachyov and Malykhin. Kazan extended the lead as Artyom Lukoyanov scored, thanks to Stepan Zakharchuk and Malykhin. Ak Bars padded the lead with a Tkachyov goal, helped along by Andrei Chibisov and Zakharchuk. Kazan kept going in the third period with an Albert Yarullin goal, via Sekac and Damir Musin on the power play. This made it 5-0, the final, with the three stars awarded to Malykhin, Tkachyov, and Garipov (21 save shutout), while Sekac and Zakharchuk get the honorable mentions. Ak Bars wins the series 4-2, and will face Metallurg Magnitogorsk for the Eastern Conference Final.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

NHL 2016/17 - Day 151

Ten games today, including a pair of matinees, beginning in...

Detroit, where the Red Wings host the Colorado Avalanche. Calvin Pickard and Jimmy Howard are the goalies. Detroit got going in the second period with a Justin Abdelkader power play goal, his sixth of the season, powered by Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall. Colorado tied it on a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his fifteenth of the year, via Tyson Barrie and Sven Andrighetto in the third period. The Red Wings took the lead back with a Tomas Tatar goal, his nineteenth of the season, helped along by Luke Glendening. Detroit added on with another Tatar goal, his second of the game and twentieth of the year, assisted by Gustav Nyquist and Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings extended the lead as Larkin scored his fifteenth of the season, a power play goal, courtesy of Andreas Athanasiou and Riley Sheahan. Detroit padded the lead with a Nyquist goal, his tenth of the year, with helpers from Zetterberg and Mike Green. The three stars went to Tatar, Zetterberg, and Nyquist, while Larkin gets an honorable mention.

East to New York, where the Islanders welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo and Thomas Greiss receive the starting nods in goal. New York led off in the first period with a Travis Hamonic goal, his third of the season, assisted by Jason Chimera and Anthony Beauvillier. Columbus tied it in the second period with an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal, his sixth of the year, going in unassisted. The Blue Jackets took the lead with a Josh Anderson goal, his sixteenth of the season, passed from Nick Foligno and Zach Werenski. The Islanders retied it in the third period with a John Tavares goal, his twenty-seventh of the year, helped along by Dennis Seidenberg and Scott Mayfield. Columbus won 3-2 in overtime with a Cam Atkinson goal, his thirty-third of the campaign, via Brandon Dubinsky and Werenski. The three stars went to Werenski, Atkinson, and Anderson.

At the usual time, the Ottawa Senators bring in the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Craig Anderson guard the cages. Montreal dented the scoreboard in the second period with an Andrew Shaw goal, his eleventh of the season, made possible by Phillip Danault and Shea Weber. Ottawa tied it on a Derick Brassard power play goal, his thirteenth of the year, powered by Kyle Turris and Mike Hoffman. The Senators took the lead with a Ryan Dzingel goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Alexandre Burrows and Erik Karlsson. The Canadiens retied it in the third period with a Danault goal, his eleventh of the year, assisted by Artturi Lehkonen and Shaw. Montreal regained the lead on a Brendan Gallagher goal, his eighth of the season, passed from Andrei Markov. Ottawa tied it again with a Karlsson goal, his fourteenth of the year, guided in by Marc Methot and Brassard. In the shootout, the Canadiens won with tallies by Paul Byron and Alexander Radulov. The three stars of the 4-3 game were Danault, Shaw, and Brassard, while Karlsson gets an honorable mention.

Down in Florida, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Washington Capitals. Braden Holtby and Andrei Vasilevskiy are the masked men. Washington began in the first period with a T.J. Oshie goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, a power play goal powered by Marcus Johansson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on with an Oshie goal, his second of the game and twenty-eighth of the year, guided in by Alex Ovechkin and Backstrom. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Nikita Kucherov power play goal, his thirty-second of the season, with assists provided by Ondrej Palat and Brayden Point. The Lightning tied it on an Alex Killorn goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Jonathan Drouin. Washington took the lead again in the third period with a Justin Williams goal, his twentieth of the season, helped along by Matt Niskanen and Andre Burakovsky. The Capitals extended the lead as John Carlson scored his eighth of the year, thanks to Oshie and Backstrom, the latter earning a sock trick. The Lightning got one back with a Kucherov goal, his second of the game and thirty-third of the season, with a lone helper from Point. Washington iced it at 5-3 with an Oshie empty net goal, his twenty-ninth of the year, finishing his hat trick on a goal set up by Backstrom. The three stars were Oshie, Backstrom, and Kucherov, while Point gets an honorable mention.

Back up in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Eddie Lack are the backups in goal. Carolina opened in the first period with a Jordan Staal goal, his fourteenth of the season, coming off of Jaccob Slavin. The Hurricanes added on with a Jeff Skinner goal, his twenty-fourth of the year, assisted by Lee Stempniak. Nashville got on the board in the second period with a Viktor Arvidsson goal, his twenty-sixth of the season, passed from Ryan Ellis and Kevin Fiala. Carolina retook the lead with another Skinner goal, his second of the game and twenty-fifth of the year, fueled by Slavin and Staal. The Predators got one back in the third period with a Filip Forsberg goal, his twenty-ninth of the season, guided in by Calle Jarnkrok and Ellis. The Hurricanes iced it at 4-2 with an empty net goal by Elias Lindholm, also shorthanded, his eighth of the year set up by Sebastian Aho. The three stars belonged to Skinner, Staal, and Slavin, while Ellis gets an honorable mention.

Up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Frederik Andersen protect the nets. Toronto started in the first period with an Auston Matthews goal, his thirty-second of the season, assisted by William Nylander and Zach Hyman. Chicago tied it in the second period on a John Hayden goal, via Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks took the lead in the third period with a Ryan Hartman goal, his sixteenth of the year, helped along by Artemi Panarin and the goalie Crawford. This made it 2-1, the eventual final, with the three stars given to Crawford (25 for 26 in saves), Hayden, and Hartman.

Along to Minnesota, where the Wild host the New York Rangers. Antti Raanta and Devan Dubnyk Minnesota struck first in the first period with an Eric Staal goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, coming off of Martin Hanzal and Matt Dumba. New York tied it on a Brady Skjei goal, his fourth of the year, via Mats Zuccarello and Adam Clendening. The Rangers took the lead in the second period on an Oscar Lindberg goal, his sixth of the season, made possible by J.T. Miller. New York added on with a Jimmy Vesey goal, his fifteenth of the year, assisted by Lindberg and Pavel Buchnevich. The Wild got one back in the third period with a Dumba power play goal, his ninth of the campaign, powered by Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Lindberg, Dumba, and Vesey.

Down in Arizona, the Coyotes welcome the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Mike Smith draw the starts in goal. St. Louis was first to score in the first period with an Alex Pietrangelo goal, his tenth of the season, a power play goal powered by Paul Stastny and Jay Bouwmeester. The Blues added on in the second period with a Scottie Upshall goal, his ninth of the year, going in unassisted. St. Louis iced it at 3-0 with a shorthanded empty net goal by David Perron, his fifteenth of the campaign, set up by Colton Parayko. The three stars were Allen (31 save shutout), Pietrangelo, and Upshall.

In Canada, the Edmonton Oilers bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Richard Bachman and Cam Talbot are in the blue paint. Edmonton cracked the scoresheet in the second period with a Connor McDavid goal, his twenty-fifth of the season, via Andrej Sekera and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers added on with a Mark Letestu power play goal in the third period, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Draisaitl and Oscar Klefbom. This made it 2-0, the final, with the three stars given to Draisaitl, Talbot (33 save shutout), and McDavid.

Finally, the San Jose Sharks host the Anaheim Ducks. Martin Jones and Jonathan Bernier are in the creases. Anaheim drew first blood in the first period with a Patrick Eaves goal, his twenty-fourth of the season, assisted by Ryan Getzlaf and Rickard Rakell. San Jose tied it on a Logan Couture power play goal, his twenty-fifth of the year, powered by Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. The Ducks took the lead back in the second period with a Jakob Silfverberg goal, his twentieth of the season, going in unassisted. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Bernier (33 for 34 in saves), Silfverberg, and Eaves.

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0.

KHL Western Conference Semifinal: 1) CSKA Moscow VS. 4) Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

The second round of the 2017 KHL playoffs is now underway. This Western Conference Semifinal features CSKA Moscow and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

Game 1: CSKA Ice Palace, Moscow, Russia. In goal: Alexei Murygin for Lokomotiv and Ilya Sorokin for CSKA. Moscow opened in the first period with a Stephane Da Costa goal, via Artyom Sergeyev. CSKA added on with an Andrei Svetlakov power play goal, powered by Alexander Popov and Kirill Petrov. Yaroslavl got on the board with a Jakub Nakladal power play goal, coming off of Staffan Kronwall. Lokomotiv tied it on another Nakladal goal in the second period, helped along by Brandon Kozun. Moscow retook the lead with a Svetlakov power play goal, assisted by Bogdan Kiselevich and Petrov. CSKA iced it at 4-2 with a Sergei Andronov goal, passed from Ivan Telegin in the third period. The three stars were Svetlakov, Nakladal, and Petrov. CSKA leads the series 1-0 early on.

Game 2: CSKA Ice Palace, Moscow, Russia. In goal: Alexei Murygin for Lokomotiv and Ilya Sorokin for CSKA. Yaroslavl started in the first period with a Daniil Apalkov goal, going in unassisted. Moscow tied it with an Alexander Popov goal, passed from Valery Nichushkin. Lokomotiv took the lead back in the second period with a Yegor Averin goal, made possible by Andrei Loktionov. Yaroslavl added on in the third period with a Petri Kontiola power play goal, powered by Brandon Kozun and Jakub Nakladal. CSKA answered with a Geoff Platt goal, fueled by Grigory Panin and Dmitry Kugryshev. Lokomotiv replied with a Loktionov goal, with a lone assist by Averin. Moscow pulled back with a Nichushkin goal, passed from Bogdan Kiselevich and Stephane Da Costa. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Loktionov, Averin, and Nichushkin. The series is tied at 1 as the action heads east.

Game 3: Arena 2000, Yaroslavl, Russia. In goal: Viktor Fasth for CSKA and Alexei Murygin for Lokomotiv. Moscow led off in the first period with a Kirill Petrov power play goal, powered by Bogdan Kiselevich and Stephane Da Costa. Yaroslavl tied it on a Dmitry Lugin goal in the second period, made possible by Yegor Averin and Andrei Loktionov. CSKA retook the lead in the third period with a Da Costa power play goal, assisted by Kiselevich. The game ended 2-1, with the three stars going to Da Costa, Kiselevich, and Fasth (23 for 24 in saves). CSKA leads the series again at 2-1.

Game 4: Arena 2000, Yaroslavl, Russia. In goal: Viktor Fasth for CSKA and Alexei Murygin for Lokomotiv. Moscow began in the first period with a Geoff Platt goal, assisted by Artyom Voroshilo and Artyom Blazhiyevsky. Yaroslavl tied it on a Maxime Talbot power play goal in the second period, powered by Brandon Kozun and Jakub Nakladal. Lokomotiv took the lead in the third period with a Pavel Kraskovsky goal, courtesy of Yegor Korshkov. Yaroslavl added on with a Nakladal power play goal, guided in by Staffan Kronwall and Petri Kontiola. Lokomotiv extended the lead as Alexander Polunin scored, thanks to Vladislav Gavrikov. Yaroslavl padded the lead on a Kozun power play goal, with assists provided by Kronwall and Kontiola. This made it 5-1, the final, with the three stars being Nakladal, Kozun, and Murygin (26 for 27 in saves), while Kronwall and Kontiola get the honorable mentions. The series heads back to Moscow tied at 2.

Game 5: CSKA Ice Palace, Moscow, Russia. In goal: Alexander Sudnitsin for Lokomotiv and Viktor Fasth for CSKA. Yaroslavl struck first in the first period with a Yegor Averin goal, made possible by Vladislav Gavrikov and Andrei Loktionov. Lokomotiv added on with a Gavrikov power play goal, powered by Averin. Moscow got on the board with a Valery Nichushkin goal, coming off of Andrei Svetlakov. This only made it 2-1, the eventual final, with the three stars being Gavrikov, Averin, and Sudnitsin (38 for 39 in saves). Lokomotiv takes the series lead at 3-2 as they head back home with a chance to advance. 

Game 6: Arena 2000, Yaroslavl, Russia. In goal: Ilya Sorokin for CSKA and Alexander Sudnitsin for Lokomotiv. Yaroslavl was first to score in the first period with a Pavel Kraskovsky goal, via Pavel Koledov and Yegor Korshkov. Lokomotiv added on in the second period with a Maxime Talbot power play goal, powered by Jakub Nakladal and Staffan Kronwall. Yaroslavl extended the lead in the third period as Andrei Loktionov scored a power play goal, with the help of Nakladal and Kronwall. Moscow got on the board with a Stephane Da Costa power play goal, with a lone assist by Jan Mursak. Lokomotiv held on to win 3-1, with the three stars going to Sudnitsin (44 for 45 in saves), Nakladal, and Kronwall. Lokomotiv advances to the Western Conference Final with a 4-2 series win, and they will face SKA St. Petersburg next round.