In his first match back from suspension, Wayne Rooney provided all the offense England needed to advance to the quarterfinals at Euro 2012.
The fiery forward headed home the game-winner to lead England past Ukraine 1-0. In the other Group D match, Zlatan Ibrahimovic?s spectacular volley lifted Sweden over France, 2-0, to give the English the top spot in the group.
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On Monday in Group C play, there exists a scenario in which Italy could beat Ireland to finish with five points, yet still not advance to the Euro 2012 quarterfinals. If Italy wins and Spain and Croatia draw, 2-2, to create a three-way tie for first place in Group C, Spain and Croatia will advance.
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Perhaps. Which is weird, because some of the races for the awards are unpredictable and, in some cases, history could be made.
So if you're on the fence about tuning in for the Awards on Wednesday night, here are 10 reasons why it could be worth your time.
1. Will Henrik Lundqvist pull the Hart/Vezina sweep?
The New York Rangers star is up for both the Hart Trophy for regular-season MVP and the Vezina Trophy for the NHL's top goaltender. The latter, one assumes, he should have in the bag ? Lundqvist has been nominated four times for the award; plus, Jonathan Quick and Pekka Rinne may split the vote from the Western Conference GMs.
But can he win the Hart? Only three goalies have ever pulled off that sweep: Jacques Plante in 1961-62; Dominik Hasek twice, from 1996-98; and Jose Theodore in 2001-02.
The MVP is probably in Evgeni Malkin's Shrek-ish hands, but you never know.
Speaking of which ?
2. Evgeni Malkin's Speech
From 96.1 KISS-FM, this tribute to Malkin interviews should whet your appetite for what should be an Obama-level oration when Malkin accepts the Hart Trophy.
3. The Philosophy of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins vs. Gabriel Landeskog
The Calder Trophy vote this season was a fascinating one, and not just because The Nuge and The Kog were stellar candidates. It's a vote that speaks to the very philosophy of what makes for a successful season and an impactful player.
RNH was the League's best rookie offensively ? tied for first among rookies in points with 52, averaging a rookie-best 0.840 points per game in 62 games. He scored 23 of his 52 points on the power play, and didn't see any action shorthanded.
Landeskog tied Nugent-Hopkins in points and was second to Matt Read (24) in goals with 22. He played all 82 games, got better as the season went along and was a major factor in the Colorado Avalanche's push for the playoffs during the voting period. He was a physical force and set a Colorado record with 270 shots on goal.
Nugent-Hopkins was the more dynamic rookie during a shorter time frame. Landeskog was in it for the long haul and was the more complete player.
[Related: Five NHL Awards we'd like to see added, because everyone deserves a gold star]
The voters can't go wrong with either choice; but who wins the Calder?
The NHL Awards exist if for no other reason than awkward, staged photographs of jocks in fancy suits. Some of them embrace this. Others will be your waiter for the evening.
5. Pavel Datsyuk Guns For Gainey
Datsyuk has been voted a Selke finalist for the fifth consecutive year, matching the streaks of Montreal's Guy Carbonneau (1986 through 1990) and Bob Gainey (1978 through 1982). He can match Gainey in another way if he bounces back to capture the Selke this season, after having his run of three trophies end last season: His fourth Selke will tie Gainey for the most in NHL history.
6. The Ottawa Upsets?
Neither Paul MacLean nor Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators could be considered the front-runner for the Jack Adams or the Norris Trophy respectively. But both have their unique charms for voters, which means the potential is there for an upset.
For MacLean, his coach of the year candidacy rests on his likeability (undeniable) and the fact that the Senators were seen by many as a conference cellar-dweller that he led to the postseason instead. Probably not enough to get around the considerable roadblock of Ken Hitchcock, but he has a shot.
Karlsson's path to the Norris is more direct: Hope that Zdeno Chara and Shea Weber split the "total package" vote, and that enough members of the PHWA see his offensive accomplishments as spectacular and his defense as respectable.
7. Old Guy vs. Sob Stories
Joffrey Lupul had his career threatened in 2010 by two back surgeries and a blood infection. Max Pacioretty suffered a significant concussion and neck trauma after being driven into the stanchion by Zdeno Chara, and getting stretchered off the ice.
Both players worked their way back to the NHL, with career-best results in 2011-12.
Daniel Alfredsson is ? old. But dedicated. And the Masterton Award is intended for "the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." Being a career Ottawa Senator ? that's all of those things, no?
If there's nothing else we've learned in the wake of the Los Angeles Kings' Stanley Cup championship, it's that the Conn Smythe winner is a [expletive] blast when he's [expletive] loose and there's an [expletive] mic on. Sit him with Roenick.
9. How Nice Is Matt Moulson?
The New York Islanders forward has a chance to become the nicest man in the NHL. He's up for the Lady Byng, after a season in which he earned six penalty minutes in 82 games while scoring 36 goals. How gentlemanly!
He's also up for the NHL Foundation Award, given annually to "an NHL player who applies the core values of hockey -- commitment, perseverance and teamwork -- to enrich the lives of people in his community."
Why? Oh, because he created the 326 Foundation with brother-in-law Jon Quick to benefit the Islanders Children's Foundation and the Kings Care Foundation. This year, Moulson donated $500 for each of his career-high 36 goals for a total of $18,000 to the 326 Foundation.
He also raised money for Hockey Fights Cancer and helped out the Wounded Warrior Project, too.
If he wins either award, we bet he'll allow a sick kitten to accept on his behalf.
10. Finally, Please Tell Us Nickelback Is Using Massive Amounts of Pyro
Even those hockey fans that didn't recoil upon hearing Nickelback would be the line musical guest at the NHL Awards are in the "I can stomach them I guess" party. So we ask ? nay, beg ? of you NHL Awards producers and Nickelback: Give us pyro. Massive fireballs and explosions. Flames licking the faces of the front row VIPs.
Anything to distract us from the Nickelback happening on stage. Hey, it worked for hair metal.
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While the Rangers have never exactly been spendthrift, Nash does carry a $7.8 million cap hit through 2018. As Larry Brooks of the NY Post pointed out on Sunday, Rangers GM Glen Sather might be at the same point Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi was this season ? make the bold move for now, repercussions be damned.
Future moves would be restricted in taking on this contract commitment to Nash, but even more so with a new collective bargaining agreement under which cap likely is to be recalculated and regulations likely are to be restrictively redefined (e.g., terms limits and front-loading) beginning next season.
Del Zotto will become a restricted free agent on July 1. McDonagh, Stepan, Anisimov and Hagelin will become restricted free agents next summer. Then, after two more seasons, Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan Callahan, Dan Girardi (and Marian Gaborik) are eligible to become unrestricted free agents while Kreider will be restricted.
Does Sather interpret all this as a window closing after two years, thus prompting him to make a bold move now, the way Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi did in acquiring Jeff Carter's strangling contract a few days before the deadline? It's impossible to know at this moment.
It's an interesting point. Brad Richards, the Rangers' free agent prize last summer, is 32. The rest of the roster is a smattering of players in their prime (Lundqvist) or entering it (Girardi) or young talent on the rise. The window is there for them to win now, yet should they take advantage of adding that kind of salary commitment given the other decisions Brooks lays out here?
Aaron Portzline of the Dispatch told us on the podcast this week that he sees Nash ending up with the Rangers. For now, it appears that Sather's more concerned with the team's offensive output than it's room against the cap.
Who is this person?
Nail Yakupov, right wing and a native of Nizhnekamsk, Russia.
How do you say ...?
Nah-eel Ya-ku-poff
So wait ? it's not pronounced "Nail", as in "Fail For"?
Nope, sorry.
Can we just all agree to call him "Nail" anyway?
Sure, because he's down with it, according to the Edmonton Sun: "He's cool with it being pronounced Nail, and he expects he'll end up being called that throughout his hockey career."
OK, so Jeff Marek can say "Nail hammered on the boards" on Sportsnet, and we can all giggle?
Yes.
And if he's drafted some dreg of the NHL, we can still go with "Nail Gets Screwed"?
No, sorry, then it reverts back to "Nah-eel."
Damn. OK, so where did he play?
Yakupov played for the OHL Sarnia Sting for two seasons after a year in Russian junior. He scored 170 points in 107 games, which is decent, we suppose.
What does he do to make scouts drool on their wrinkled suits?
The consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 Draft, Yakupov has drawn comparisons to Pavel Bure for his speed, shot and for the overall outstanding qualities in his game. And who's making such lofty comparisons? Scotty Bowman, no less. He's a fierce competitor on the ice and an engaging personality away from the rink. Did we mention his blazing speed?
What does he do to make scouts pop antacids?
The "Russian Factor" is the primary one, but it probably doesn't apply to a first overall choice with two years in the OHL. Beyond that, it's probably just headaches over how much this kid is going to earn now and down the road.
Is he on Twitter?
Sorta? He has one cyber-squatted, uh, "reserved" for him @NailYakupov. There hasn't been a tweet yet and he has close to 2,200 followers. UPDATE: Huzzah, he is on Twitter at @nail10_1993.
Celebrity he most resembles?
The love child of that werewolf from "Twilight" and Zach Parise.
1. Being first overall must mean something to you?
"Being at the NHL draft already means a lot. And of course being the first overall pick is an honor. It would be great, of course. But still, someone who is picked in the sixth round, for example, will still get the same chance as you. Both will be given an opportunity to show what you've got. When you're drafted, you're given a chance. And then it's up to you what you do with that chance. Only time will tell."
2. Do you think that fact that you are Russian will hurt you? There is the so-called "Russian Factor" present at the draft.
"I don't think it will hurt me. I honestly don't think it matters. As far as someone being afraid that Russian players will leave, that's why we are playing here. And it's not even my first year, but my second one already. You also have an agent who talks to scouts. As for me personally, if I am given a chance to try myself in the NHL, I will certainly try myself in the NHL. Yes, if you are playing in the KHL, then teams are afraid when they pick you. But if not, like I, I would rather try to play in the NHL. It is never too late to go back to Russia. But I can't control what someone may be afraid of. I will just do the best that I personally can, whatever depends on me, to be the best player, to be the number one draft pick."
3. Did you have a favorite NHL team growing up?
"I really liked some player. Pavel Bure was my favorite. I still remember him play. As for teams, I really like watching Vancouver, Pittsburgh and Detroit play. But I just like any hockey. I watch hockey at home regardless of what teams are playing."
Where will he be drafted?
That would be No. 1 overall. Even if the Oilers move the pick, the trading partner will be moving up to snag him.
Obligatory YouTube
Nail Yakupov, shooting on Canada at World Juniors. Awesome:
That's quite the interview. Would you say he ... 'nailed it'?
You're going to make us Yakupov.
Jim Fox played nine seasons with the Los Angeles Kings before becoming one of the voices of the team with Bob Miller in 1990. �Needless to say, he bleeds purple, gold, black and silver.
Fox was on Fox Sports West with Patrick O'Neal during the Kings' Stanley Cup parade through Los Angeles on Thursday when the emotions over seeing this team finally win its first Cup since 1967 overcame him:
The Stanley Cup: It makes grown men weep. Ask Jeremy Roenick.
This video's just another reminder that for all the catcalls about celebrity bandwagonism regarding the Kings, there are plenty of fans (and alumni) who have been waiting a lifetime for what they witnessed on Monday ? and around L.A. on Thursday.
