The Microsoft Windows Script Host (WSH) is an automation technology for Microsoft Windows operating systems that provides scripting abilities comparable to batch files, but with a wider range of supported features. It was originally called Windows Scripting Host, but was renamed for the second release.

It is language-independent in that it can make use of different Active Scripting language engines. By default, it interprets and runs plain-text JScript (.JS and .JSE files) and VBScript (.VBS and .VBE files).

Users can install different scripting engines to enable them to script in other languages, for instance PerlScript. The language independent filename extension WSF can also be used. The advantage of the Windows Script File (.WSF) is that it allows the user to use a combination of scripting languages within a single file.

WSH engines include various implementations for the REXX, BASIC, Perl, Ruby, Tcl, PHP, JavaScript, Delphi, Python, XSLT, and other languages.

Windows Script Host is distributed and installed by default on Windows 98 and later versions of Windows. It is also installed if Internet Explorer 5 (or a later version) is installed. Beginning with Windows 2000, the Windows Script Host became available for use with user login scripts.

Usage[link]

Windows Script Host may be used for a variety of purposes, including logon scripts, administration and general automation. Microsoft describes it as an administration tool.^[1] WSH provides an environment for scripts to run – it invokes the appropriate script engine and provides a set of services and objects for the script to work with.^[1] These scripts may be run in either GUI mode (WScript.exe) or command line mode (CScript.exe) offering flexibility to the user for interactive or non-interactive scripts.^[2] WSH implements an object model which exposes a set of Component Object Model (COM) interfaces.^[3]

Examples[link]

The first example is very simple; it shows some VBScript which uses the root WSH COM object "WScript" to display a message with an 'OK' button. Upon launching this script the CScript or WScript engine would be called and the runtime environment provided.

Content of a file hello0.vbs <source lang="vb"> WScript.Echo "Hello world" WScript.Quit </source>

WSH programing can also use the JScript language.

Content of a file hello1.js <source lang="javascript"> WSH.Echo("Hello world"); WSH.Quit(); </source>

Or, code can be mixed in one WSF file, such as VBScript and JScript, or any other:

Content of a file hello2.wsf <source lang="xml"> <job> <script language="VBScript">

 MsgBox "hello world (from vb)"

</script> <script language="JScript">

 WSH.echo("hello world (from js)");

</script> </job> </source>

Security concerns[link]

Windows applications and processes may be automated using a script in Windows Script Host. Viruses and malware could be written to exploit this ability. Thus, some suggest disabling it for security reasons.^[4] Alternatively, antivirus programs may offer features to control .vbs and other scripts which run in the WSH environment.

Since version 5.6 of WSH, scripts can be digitally signed programmatically using the Scripting.Signer object in a script itself, provided a valid certificate is present on the system. Alternatively, the signcode tool from the Platform SDK, which has been extended to support WSH filetypes, may be used at the command line.^[5]

By using Software Restriction Policies introduced with Windows XP, a system may be configured to execute only those scripts which have been digitally signed, thus preventing the execution of untrusted scripts.^[6]

Available scripting engines[link]

Version history[link]

The redistributable version of WSH version 5.6 can be installed on Windows 95/98/Me and Windows NT 4.0/2000. WSH 5.7 is downloadable for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Recently, redistributable versions for older operating systems (Windows 9x and Windows NT 4.0) are no longer available from the Microsoft Download Center.

As of Windows XP Service Pack 3, release 5.7 is not needed as it is included.

See also[link]

• HTML Components
• JScript.NET
• Microsoft Script Debugger
• Shell script
• Windows PowerShell

References[link]

External links[link]

• WSH Primer on Microsoft TechNet – Get started with WSH
• WSH home at MSDN
• WSH Reference
• Release notes for Windows Script 5.7

Marc Staal
With the Rangers in 2012.
Born	(1987-01-13) January 13, 1987 (age 25) Thunder Bay, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight	214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team	New York Rangers
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	12th overall, 2005 New York Rangers
Playing career	2005–present

Medal record
Competitor for  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold	2007 Sweden
Gold	2006 Canada

Marc Staal (born January 13, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. He is the younger brother of Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes, and older brother of Jordan Staal of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jared Staal, who plays in the Hurricanes organization. Of the four brothers, Marc is the only defenseman.

Early career[link]

Staal warming up before March 24, 2010 game against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden

Staal grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of Thunder Bay, ON and was a minor hockey teammate of future NHL'ers Tom Pyatt, Ryan Parent and Taylor Chorney with the Thunder Bay Kings AAA program.

He was selected 2nd overall in the 2003 OHL Priority Selection by the Sudbury Wolves after a solid season with the Minor Midget Kings.

Staal played junior hockey from 2003–2007 for the Sudbury Wolves in the Ontario Hockey League where he was the team's captain, and led the Wolves to their first trip to the OHL finals in 30 years.[1] He was drafted by the New York Rangers in 2005 NHL Entry Draft in the 1st round, 12th pick overall.

Staal played for Team Canada in the 2006 and 2007 IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championships bringing home gold both times. He was named the tournament's top defenceman in the 2006 Championships.

Marc and younger brother Jared played together in Sudbury during 2006–07.

On May 7, 2007, the Ontario Hockey League announced that Staal was the recipient of the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL's Most Outstanding Defenceman for the 2006–07 season. This prestigious award was previously won by the likes of future NHL players such as Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis, and Denis Potvin. On May 13, 2007, although his Sudbury team lost the OHL Championship Series to Plymouth in six games, Staal was named the winner of the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, which goes to the league's postseason MVP.

NHL career[link]

On October 4, 2007, Staal made his NHL debut for the New York Rangers, and head coach Tom Renney, who would use him in that first season primarily in a defensive role. He would record his first NHL point against the Washington Capitals on November 1, 2007, when Chris Drury deflected his shot in for a goal, giving Staal an assist. Staal scored his first NHL goal on November 14, 2007, against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. His wrist shot from the left faceoff circle sailed over the outstretched glove of goaltender Martin Brodeur and deflected in off the crossbar. Assisting on his first goal in the NHL were teammates Scott Gomez and Brendan Shanahan. During 2007-08, Staal was one of sixteen rookies selected to participate in the YoungStars competition at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta, where he scored a goal and added an assist.^[1] Staal finished his rookie season with 10 points on the strength of 2 goals and 8 assists. But more importantly, he established himself as a reliable defender, posting a positive plus/minus rating at +2, as the Rangers qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs. He saved his best for the playoffs, with his first NHL playoff goal and two assists to help the Rangers defeat the Devils in 5 games during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal. The goal was important - in the pivotal Game 4, Staal's slapper broke a 3-3 deadlock late in the third period and stood to be the game winning goal in a 5-3 victory that gave the Rangers a 3 games to 1 lead in the series. Like his first regular season goal, it also came against goalie Martin Brodeur. However, despite their win over the Devils in the Conference Quarterfinal, the Rangers would fall to the eventual Stanley Cup runner-up Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

In 2008-09, Staal improved his offensive output to 15 points, scoring 3 goals and adding 12 assists - all career highs. He returned to the YoungStars Competition as a sophomore at the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal, and scored two goals.^[2] Late in the season, a coaching change led to a more offensive philosophy designed to propel the Rangers into the playoffs. The defensive minded Tom Renney was replaced by John Tortorella who encouraged more offense from all of his players, including Staal. As a result, much of Staal's production came toward the end of the season - 6 of his 15 points came after the coaching change, in just 21 games (as opposed to 9 in 61 under Renney). The Rangers would again qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs on the strength of their strong finish, but this time were defeated in the first round by the Washington Capitals in seven games after blowing a 3-1 series lead. During the series, Staal would record his second career NHL playoff goal.

In the summer of 2009, Marc, and brothers Eric and Jordan, was invited to try out for the Canadian Olympic men's ice hockey team competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. However when the team was named on December 30, 2009, Eric was the only Staal named to the squad. Meanwhile, now in his third year, Staal began to transition into more of a two-way role for the Rangers during 2009-10 as the development of his offense continued under Coach Tortorella. Staal enjoyed the first four-game point streak of his career (1 goal, 3 assists). Though the Rangers would miss the playoffs for the first time in Staal's career, he would establish new career highs with 8 goals, 19 assists, 27 points and a career best +11 rating during the season. He saved his finest for late in the year, scoring a beautiful coast-to-coast goal against Florida Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen on April 3, 2010, after receiving the puck from teammate Henrik Lundqvist in the defensive zone. For Staal, it capped a three-game goal-scoring streak and ignited a Rangers comeback in an eventual 4-1 victory that kept the Rangers' playoff hopes alive. The team missed the playoffs on the final day of the season, losing 2-1 in a shootout to the Philadelphia Flyers, who took the eighth and final playoff spot from the Rangers. Staal led all Ranger skaters in ice time during the final game, on-ice for 29:16 of the game's 65 minutes and finished at +1.

In 2010, Marc became a restricted free agent for the first time. Though negotiations between Staal's camp and New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather were often slow,^[3] Marc signed a five-year, $19.875 million extension for the team on September 15, 2010.^[4] After a strong training camp, Rangers Coach John Tortorella recognized Staal's leadership qualities in October 2010 by naming him an alternate captain at the age of 23.^[5]

During the 2010-2011 season, Staal was chosen for the first time to participate in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, North Carolina. During the game, he enjoyed a rare opportunity to play on the same team as his brother Eric.

On February 22, 2011, in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Staal was checked by his brother, Eric. Marc was looking down, fighting for the puck with another Hurricanes player, when Eric came and threw a vicious shoulder check, and Marc was slow to get up. It was a legal check, and Marc played for the rest of the season, but it was revealed before the Rangers' 2011 training camp began that Staal was suffering from post-concussion symptoms. He did not play until January 2, 2012, in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic against the Philadelphia Flyers.

In Game 5 against the Washington Capitals, Staal scored the overtime goal to defeat the Washington Capitals 3-2.

Playing style[link]

Staal is an excellent skater and defender. Defensively, Staal is an adept shot blocker, and penalty killer. Offensively, he is a smart passer who makes the intelligent plays to his teammates. Due to his skating ability, he often tries to join the offensive rush despite being a defenceman. He has a very accurate wrist shot and a hard slapshot that has improved in accuracy since his NHL debut. His improving offense led him to see more ice time on the power play beginning in the 2010-11 season, where he can apply those offensive skills more directly in the scoring effort. Upon bursting onto the NHL scene, the New York Rangers coaching staff primarily used him in a defensive role. However his point totals improved steadily his first few years in the NHL, and each year from 2007-08 to 2009-10 he established new career highs in goals, assists, and points.

Staal is also known for his hard open-ice body checks. Staal has thrown many hard open-ice hits into well-known NHL players, including Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, his brother Jordan Staal, Mike Comrie, and Mike Knuble. One of his hardest hits was delivered on Calgary's Matt Stajan in November 2010. As Stajan skated into the offensive zone, he prepared to send a pass toward his left. Unknown to Stajan, who had turned to follow his pass, Staal was coming across from Stajan's right and delivered a clean, hard shoulder to shoulder hit that left Stajan struggling on the ice. The hit dislodged Stajan's helmet and stick. Almost immediately, the hit prompted questions about whether or not it was clean, due to a new NHL rule for the 2010-2011 season that banned blindside hits to the head. However, reviews of the play indicated the principal point of contact had been the shoulder. Staal, generally known as a clean player, was neither suspended nor penalized for the hit. Had he been suspended, the suspension would have been his first in the NHL. The hit knocked Stajan out of the game, and Stajan would miss the next two of his team's contests with an "upper body injury", although he was not diagnosed with a concussion as many feared. Of the hit, Staal defended the play, simply saying:^[6]

For his part, Stajan held no ill will towards Staal for the hit, responding:^[7]

Personal life[link]

Staal married his longtime girlfriend Lindsay Ruggles, on August 12, 2011. They have known each other since high school. He proposed to her on December 25, 2010.^[8]

Career statistics[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Marc Staal's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Marc Staal's NHL player profile

Chris Kreider
Born	(1991-04-30) April 30, 1991 (age 21) Boxford, MA, USA
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight	230 lb (104 kg; 16 st 6 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shoots	Left
NHL team	New York Rangers
National team	United States
NHL Draft	19th overall, 2009 New York Rangers
Playing career	2012–present

Christopher James Kreider (born April 30, 1991) is an American ice hockey forward with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League who played college hockey at Boston College. He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Rangers in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Amateur career[link]

Medal record
Competitor for USA
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold	2010 USA
Bronze	2011 USA

Kreider played for Masconomet Regional High School, and later Phillips Academy, a prep school in Andover, Massachusetts. Kreider scored a goal in the 2010 NCAA title game in which Boston College defeated the University of Wisconsin to win the national title and was named to the 2010 Hockey East All-Rookie Team.^[1][2] He also scored six goals for the gold medal winning United States World Junior Championship team in 2010.^[3][4][5] Kreider was chosen to represent the United States once again at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, and led the team with four goals in six games as the USA won the bronze medal.^[6][7] Two of his goals were scored in the bronze medal game, and he was named the USA's best player for that game.^[8][9][10] Kreider's ten goals in WJC play ties him with John LeClair and Mike Modano for third all time among USA players, behind just Jeremy Roenick's 13 and Brian Gionta's 11.^[10]

Kreider was named Most Valuable Player of the 2011 Beanpot Tournament, as Boston College won the tournament for the second straight time.^[11][12] Kreider was also selected to the United States National team to compete in the 2011 IIHF World Men's Ice Hockey Championship held in Slovakia.^[13] In 2011-12, he won a second NCAA title with Boston College, and led the team in scoring with 23 goals and 45 points in 44 games.^[14][15][16] Kreider's 23 goals were 2nd overall in Hockey East and tied for 8th in the NCAA and his 45 points were 5th in Hockey East and tied for 19th in the NCAA.^[17][18] He also tied for the Hockey East lead in game winning goals, with 5, short handed goals with 3 and short handed points with 5.^[17] He also finished in the top 10 in Hockey East with 7 power play goals and 17 power play points.^[17]

Professional career[link]

On April 10, 2012, Kreider signed a 3 year entry level contract with the Rangers.^[19][20][21] Kreider joined the Rangers the following day for practice, and was eligible to participate in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs.^[22][23] He made his NHL debut for the Rangers in a playoff game against the Ottawa Senators on April 16, 2012.^[24] He scored his first NHL goal in game 6 against the Ottawa Senators on April 23, 2012 on an assist from former WJC gold medal teammate Derek Stepan, which proved to be the game winning goal.^[25][26] His second NHL goal was also a playoff game winning goal, against the Washington Capitals on April 28, 2012, making him the first player in NHL history whose first two goals were playoff game winners.^[27][28] He ended the 2012 playoffs with five goals, an NHL record for most playoff goals before playing his first regular season game.^[29] The prior record of four such goals was held by Eddie Mazur, and the prior record of three goals in a single postseason prior to playing a regular season game was held by George McPhee and Ray Cote^[30]

Career statistics[link]

Regular season and playoffs[link]

International[link]

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2010	United States	WJC			7	6	1	7	2
2010	United States	WC	—		6	1	1	2	0
2011	United States	WJC			6	4	2	6	0
2011	United States	WC	—		7	2	1	3	6
Totals	United States	All totals	—		26	13	5	18	8

References[link]

External links[link]

• Chris Kreider's career stats at Eliteprospects.com
• NHL.com draft profile
• Chris Kreider's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database