WINNIPEG -- Head coach Paul Maurice has been given a four-year extention to guide the Winnipeg Jets, and he and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff appear to be of one mind on some of the teams upcoming issues. Air Max 97 In Saldo . One of them is keeping Ondrej Pavelec as the teams starting goaltender. Cheveldayoff said it was disappointing not to make the playoffs but he didnt suggest hes deviating in any big way from his draft-and-develop philosophy and that includes sticking with his 26-year-old starting netminder. "Ondrej Pavelec is the No. 1 goaltender going into next season," the general manager insisted. "Hes relatively a young goaltender when it comes to being a starting goaltender and when you give those young players those opportunities to excel theres going to be some bumps along the way." With a save percentage of .901 (70th among all goalies in the NHL) and a goals against average of 3.01 (69th) Pavelec is a frequent target of criticism. Maurice says he wouldnt have a lot to say about who plays for the team, which is a general managers job, but he had no problem at all with Pavelec as his starting netminder. "Were at a stage in our franchise where weve got three or four potentially critical pieces through our lineup that are here that weve got to make better. Weve got to put them in a position to be better then they have to be better. ... "And I think Evander Kane falls into that hole, really good young talented players that need to develop, that need to get better and I think they will get better ... In my mind, with Ondrej Pavelec, we have to do everything we can as a team to give our goaltending the best chance to win us games and that hasnt happened yet." Kane finished with only 19 goals this season, a far cry from the 30 the forward scored in 2011-12, although this season he missed 19 games -- 18 due to injuries and another as a healthy scratch, reportedly for missing a team meeting. Maurice came in as Claude Noels replacement in January and impressed Jets management as well as the players with his skills. "Hes an impressive hockey coach but hes an impressive person as well," Cheveldayoff said. "He walked in and he made a tremendous impact from the moment he walked in and we believe that were just scratching the surface on the impact he can make on this franchise moving forward." Maurice, 47, said on the phone from his current home in Ohio that he made the decision fairly early on that he wanted to stay in Winnipeg. The deal was done Tuesday and he immediately flew home to talk about it with his family and they supported him. "It didnt take much time, I called Kevin and said were in and put a sign on the front steps today," he said. Maurice guided the team to an 18-12-5 record over 35 games after Noels firing, a decision that Cheveldayoff said hurt him to the core. "Claude Noel is a tremendous coach and an even better person," he said. Noel had only part of one season as an NHL head coach on his resume when he was handed the reins of the Jets in 2011. His replacement has a career coaching record of 478-469-172 over 1,119 NHL games with the Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers franchise. Maurice, who also said Wednesday he has accepted an offer to join Team Canada as an assistant coach for the world championship, says the Jets are further along and have a better balance of youth and experience than some of the other teams hes coach in the NHL. He says that means their development should be faster. Whether the goal of making the playoffs can be achieved next year, the answer seems to be maybe, but not initially as a Stanley Cup contender. "Were trying to move to the middle of the pack, I mean the end goal here is to be a contending team, and I think there are six of those teams right now in the Western Conference, I think theres two in the Eastern Conference. . . then theres the other eight teams that are in the playoffs," he said. Winnipeg finished with a 37-35-10 record on the season and settled for an 11th-place finish in the Western Conference with 84 points. It was exactly the same record they managed in their first year in their new home in 2011-12, although the Jets were in the Eastern Conference until this season. It was also the third straight season they have missed the playoffs since relocating to Winnipeg from Atlanta. The former Atlanta Thrashers made the playoffs only once, in 2007. The Jets have a fairly long list of restricted and unrestricted free agents this season but the only one Cheveldayoff mentioned Wednesday as a player they want to keep for sure was forward and restricted free agent Michael Frolik. He finished with 42 points and met or exceeded the expectations the Jets had when they acquired him from Chicago last year. But the general manager also didnt rule out looking outside the Jets for the right unrestricted free agent or making a trade to strengthen their core group, particularly at forward. He hasnt made a lot of trades since taking on the job three years ago (only 13) and the only two that would even come close to involving higher profile players would be Frolik and Devin Setoguchi. They were also his last, in the summer of 2013. "Some of it might have to come from a trade," he said of his desire to add a winger or a centre. The Jets are still focusing on young players throughout the organization and the role they can play. At the end of the season, for example, they brought in goalie Michael Hutchinson from the AHLs St. Johns IceCaps and he won two of the three final games he played. Cheveldayoff says the core group the Jets have signed to long-term contracts continues to perform. "We like what we have in a lot of different areas here. . . Guys like Blake Wheeler had a tremendous year, Bryan Little had a tremendous year, Andrew Ladd had a tremendous year. . . We havent even touched on (Mark) Scheifele and (Jacob) Trouba." He said Scheifele and Trouba had a big impact and the two rookies are only going to get better. Air Max 270 Prezzo Basso . Virtanen opened the scoring at 6:45 of the first period, then gave Canada a two-goal lead with a power-play goal 1:03 into the second. Sweden cut the lead in half when Daniel Muzito Bagenda scored a power-play goal at 10:57 of the second. Air Max 97 Italia .Y. -- Mike Zigomaniss goal at 5:53 of the third period stood up as the winner as the Rochester Americans hung on to defeat the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 3-2 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. http://www.airmaxshoponlineitalia.it/scontate-vapormax-outlet.html . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City.BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula have a strong desire to see the Bills stay in Buffalo, and arent ruling out making a bid to buy the NFL franchise. In saying theyre following the Bills sale process, the Pegulas declined to go into further detail of their intentions, in a prepared statement released by Sabres vice-president Michael Gilbert on Friday. "Like everyone else in this community, they have a strong desire to have the Buffalo Bills remain a centerpiece of this region," Gilbert said. "Accordingly, they have been following the developments involving the sale of the Bills." Out of respect for the sale process, Gilbert said the owners will not be issuing any further comments. The statement was released in response to numerous reports of the Pegulas having serious interest in purchasing the Bills, who are on the market after the teams owner and founder Ralph Wilson died in March. The latest development came on Thursday, when a person familiar with the sale process told The Associated Press the Pegulas were among prospective buyers who received a non-disclosure agreement and background on the Bills from a law firm representing Wilsons estate. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the sale process has not been made public. Filling out the non-disclosure agreement would be the next step in providing interested groups full access to the Bills financial data in order to begin formulating bids. The Bills were last valued by Forbes to be worth $870 million. But theirr sale price could go much higher because NFL teams rarely go on the market. Air Max 270 Scontate. The Pegulas made their fortune in the natural gas industry, after Terry Pegula sold off many of his companys assets for $4.7 billion to Royal Dutch Shell in 2010. His net worth was last estimated by Forbes to be $3.3 billion, but that figure could rise after his company reached a deal to sell off 75,000 acres of land in Ohio and West Virginia to Oklahoma-based American Energy Partners last week. Pegula has spent the past four years going on a major spending spree focusing on two of his passions: hockey and Penn State, his alma mater. In 2010, he donated more than $100 million to Penn State to build a hockey arena and establish a Division I program. In February 2011, he purchased the Sabres, the team he became a fan of in the 1970s. The Pegulas have since shown a commitment to helping spur Buffalos economy by building a $172 million hockey/entertainment complex called HarborCenter across from the Sabres downtown arena. The Bills long-term future in western New York remains a question mark. Though their lease essentially ties them to playing at their current home through the 2019 season, there are concerns the Bills could eventually relocate under a new owner. Toronto and Los Angeles are considered potential landing spots. People familiar with the sale have previously said an ownership candidate could be identified by the end of July, and the sale approved by NFL owners as early as the leagues meetings in October. ' ' '
MIAMI -- Travis dArnaud hit a go-ahead RBI double in the eighth inning to lift the New York Mets to a 4-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night. Raudy Read Jersey . Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a two-run home run, and Matt den Dekker had three hits for the Mets, who won two of three in the series with the Marlins. Miamis Giancarlo Stanton homered for the third consecutive game to give him 36 on the season and bring the Marlins within 4-3 in the eighth after the Mets took a two-run lead in the top half of the inning. Carlos Torres (6-5) pitched 1 1-3 innings in relief to earn the victory. Jenrry Mejia got the final three outs in the ninth, following a leadoff walk, for his 23rd save in 26 opportunities. Den Dekker led off the eighth with a single off Mike Dunn (10-6), who also allowed a hit to Lucas Duda. Dunn was replaced by Bryan Morris, who immediately allowed an RBI double to dArnaud to right field to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. Dilson Herreras groundout then scored Duda. Jacob deGrom allowed one run and six hits in six innings for the Mets. He struck out six, walked two and left with a 2-1 lead. Marlins starter Tom Koehler struck out a career-high 10 batters in seven innings and allowed two runs, five hits, and four walks. The Marlins tied it 2-2 in the seventh inning. Adeiny Hechavarria doubled to deep centre field off reliever Buddy Carlyle, and lefty Dario Alvarez came in to face Christian Yelich, who singled to right to score Hechavarria. Miami opened the scoring in the third with an RBI single by Casey McGehee. Nieuwenhuis third home run of the season gave the Mets a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Juan Lagares led off the game with a single for the Mets, stretching his on-base streak to six consecutive plate appearances. He finished the game 2 for 5. A day after Mets captain David Wright had three hits to break out of a 7-for-50 skid, he struck out four times and went 0 for 5. UP NEXT The Marlins and Mets are both off on Thursday. Miami will host Atlanta for a three-game series beginning on Friday with RHP Jarred Cosart (3-1, 1.64) on the mound against Braves RHP Aaron Harang (10-9, 3.64). New York will travel to Cincinnati and will start RHP Bartolo Colon (12-11, 4.01) on Friday against RHP Alfredo Simon (13-9, 3.28). Sean Doolittle Nationals Jersey . Hughes, 30, is a former Major Leaguer with the Baltimore Orioles, having played in 14 games with the Os in 2010. He played with Class AA Binghamton of the Eastern League in the New York Mets system last season. Fernando Rodney Jersey . Scrivens stopped 48 shots and captain Andrew Ference scored in overtime as the Oilers pulled off a 4-3 upset of the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. https://www.cheapnationals.com/1327r-tanner-rainey-jersey-nationals.html .Connor Graham, Alex Lintuniemi and Sam Studnicka also scored for Ottawa (11-8-2). Liam Herbst made 21 saves for the win.Brendan Lemieux had both of Barries (10-10-2) goals.DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings have recalled centre Stephen Weiss from his conditioning loan with Grand Rapids of the AHL.The 31-year-old Weiss was limited to 26 games for the Red Wings in 2013-14 and did not play after Dec. 10 because of hernia surgery. The Toronto native had two goals and two assists in his first season with Detroit after signing a five-year, $24. Javy Guerra Jersey. 5 million contract.Weiss has played in 681 games since 2001-02. He has 147 goals and 251 assists with Detroit and Florida.The Red Wings host the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night. ' ' '
OXFORD, Miss. Miles Mikolas Jersey . -- The unlikely duo of Jaylen Walton and Jordan Wilkins led Mississippi to a resounding Egg Bowl upset. Walton had a 91-yard touchdown run and Wilkins, a running back, threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to lead No. 18 Ole Miss over No. 4 Mississippi State 31-17 on Saturday. Bo Wallace threw for 296 yards despite completing just 13 of 30 passes. Ole Miss (9-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) led 7-3 at halftime before its offence got going in the second half. Its the 10th time in 11 seasons the home team has won the Egg Bowl. Wilkins touchdown pass to Cody Core -- with 9:14 remaining in the game -- came on the second throw of his career after a pitch from Wallace, pushing the Rebels ahead by two touchdowns. The loss by Mississippi State (10-2, 6-2, No. 4 CFP) means Alabama clinched the SEC Western Division. Dak Prescott threw for 282 yards and a touchdown. Its the first time both teams came into the Egg Bowl ranked since 1999. The loss is a severe blow to Mississippi States hope of advancing to the inaugural College Football Playoff. DeRunnya Wilson caught eight passes for 117 yards and Fred Ross added six catches for 103 yards, but the Bulldogs were undone by an aggressive Ole Miss offence that wasnt afraid to take chances. Walton finished with a career-high 148 yards rushing on just 14 carries. Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram caught five passes for 176 yards Ole Miss had lost three straight conference games -- including last weeks 30-0 setback at Arkansas -- before breaking through with a convincing win in the bitter instate rivalry. People thought we wouldnt be up for this game, but its the Egg Bowl, Walton said. How can you not get up for the Egg Bowl? Mississippi State struggled in the first half with just 128 total yards. Prescott never appeared comfortable in the pocket, facing consistent pressure from the Ole Miss defence. The Rebels came into the game giving up just 13.5 points per game, which ranked No. 1 in the country. Ole Miss lived up to the stats, using a swarming defence to contain Mississippi States running game. But the Rebels offence took a while to get going. Wallace was playing on a sore right ankle that he sprained during last weeks loss to Arkansas. The ankle was heavily taped on Saturday and the injury appeared to slow the velocity on his throws. One promising drive early in the game ended when an errant pass was intercepted in the end zone by Taveze Calhoun. But the Rebels broke through later in the first quarter on Wallaces 1-yard touchdown run, which was set up by a 46-yard pass from Wallace to Engram on the previous play. Mississippi States Evan Sobiesk made a career-best 45-yard field goal early in the second quarter, which pulled the Bulldogs within 7-3. The third quarter didnt look anything like the first half, with the teams trading long pass completions to set up quick scoring opportunities. Wallace completed an 83-yard pass to Engram -- which was the longest for the program since 2008 -- to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Jeremy Liggins that gave the Rebels a 14-10 lead. But it was Waltons 91-yard run that really gave the Rebels momentum. The play was designed for the 5-foot-8, 166-pounder to run right, but after a few steps he changed directions, shooting through the left side of the line before breaking a few arm tackles and then streaking down the left sideline for the score. I made one hard cut to see what I could get, Walton said. I remember one guy missed me and then there was nothing there. Lane Thomas Jersey . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Bobby Tolan Cardinals Jersey . After the loss, White refused to make good on the bet, instead offering Hoyt tickets to a Bears game. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/394t-john-gant-jersey-cardinals.html . LOUIS -- Russell Martin wanted a better fate for his starting pitcher and helped deliver a happier ending.Hulk Hogan was a one-man armed forces branch inside the ring, disposing the latest lumbering threats from Cold War Russia, Iran and even an Iraqi sympathizer with nothing more than a big boot to the face and a legdrop.Hogan, the biggest star in WWE history, never lost sight of the work performed by real American troops around the world who served their country in a far more hostile environment than the squared circle.Its amazing to see how brave, how proud and how positive these kids are, Hogan said.Hogan has a special chance to thank servicemen in person when World Wrestling Entertainment tapes its annual WWE Tribute to the Troops show on Tuesday night at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia. The WWEs 12th holiday troops special brings together celebrities from sports, entertainment and pop culture to entertain American servicemen and women. The show airs on USA Network and NBC later this month.Without our troops, without these men and women putting their lives on the line, we would not have our freedom, WWE chief brand officer Stephanie McMahon said. We would not have the ability to do what we do. It is the least we can do to give back to them.Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve component soldiers, retirees and civilian employees on a daily basis and has been the home of the Infantry division since 1918.Active-duty soldiers at Fort Benning scored free tickets for the show at the Columbus Civic Center.Theyll get a double dose of sports entertainment when the showcase platform for stars John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt also tapes an episode of Friday nights Smackdown show.WWE has a full slate of goodwill activities scheduled in the area, including hospital visits, career workshops, elementary school reading celebrations and anti-bulllying rallies. Harrison Bader Jersey. . WWE performers also will help select military families pick holiday Christmas trees.Giving back has always been part of WWEs DNA, McMahon said. Its really in the last four or five years that weve been able to use our platform in a broader way, particularly since the advent of social media, to really get our message out there.McMahon, who serves on the board of USO Metropolitan Washington, has topped 1 million followers on Twitter.The low-key Troops taping usually shuns the weekly storylines in favour of simple good guy-bad guy matchups: Good Santa vs. Bad Santa and Kane vs. an Army general in an arm-wrestling match have highlighted previous shows. WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin hit Cena with a Stone Cold Stunner in front of troops waving Austin vs. Saddam signs at the inaugural taping in 2003.The WWE taped Troops from Iraq six times from 2003 to 2009 and in Afghanistan in 2005. WWE transitioned the show stateside in 2010 and staged last years show at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, and wrestlers Big Show, R-Truth, Summer Rae and Alicia Fox, will travel abroad and visit troops for the fifth straight year on a handshake tour in an undisclosed location. The WWE has yet to release the date of the visit or location, citing security reasons.Vince goes right on the frontlines, the 61-year-old Hogan said. He doesnt hide. He goes right where its going on. The whole WWE is a monster as far as being partners with the troops.Tribute to the Troops airs as a two-hour special at 8 p.m. EST on Dec. 17 on USA Network and will re-air as a one-hour special at 8 p.m. EST on Dec. 27 on NBC.Angelina Jolie, the Kardashians and Alyssa Milano are among the celebrities confirmed to send videotaped messages to the troops. ' ' '
NEWARK – The Maple Leafs are teetering on the edge of another late season collapse. Air Max 720 Pas Cher Homme . Five straight losses (and six in the past seven) now dot the schedule – matching their longest skid of the year – after they fell again in New Jersey on Sunday night, topped 3-2 by Cory Schneider and the Devils. Playoff fortunes that once appeared secure have slipped into a more precarious state with a troubling tumble in the past week. All-too-recently fighting for second spot in the Atlantic division, Toronto has fallen to the edge of the playoffs, now in the second wild card position – mere inches ahead of Washington and Columbus – with only nine games to play. “The bottom line,” said head coach Randy Carlyle after the latest loss, “is its a results-orientated sport and we have to find a way to stop the bleeding here and do everything in our power to regroup with this hockey club and get them playing to a higher level.” If not playing entirely badly these days, the Leafs are doing just enough to lose, be it through sluggish starts, highly visible defensive breakdowns, and ordinary goaltending. On this night they fell behind for the seventh straight game, allowed a pair of goals via odd-man rush and breakaway, and had their backup goaltender struggle again to come up with a timely save. “I dont think were playing that bad,” said Phil Kessel, who scored his 36th of the year in defeat, crashing into the goal-post in doing so. “[But] its a tough stretch Ill tell you that much.” Tough stretch, indeed. It was only 11 days earlier, after James Reimer stole victory in Los Angeles, that the Leafs appeared in prime position for their second straight playoff spring. They sat three points up on the Lightning and Canadiens, 10 on the Capitals, nine on the Red Wings, seven on the Flyers, and six on the Rangers and Blue Jackets. Five of the seven has since passed them over, only Columbus and Washington trailing – just barely, mind you, with games in hand. Its been a remarkable spiral in a very short window, different in that way from the infamous 18-wheeler collapse of 2012 which cost Ron Wilson his job. The Leafs couldnt emerge unscathed from that storm, but can they find a way out of this one? Pressure is building, time is ticking, and the race is kicking into high gear with the Blues, Flyers and Wings all on deck in the coming week. Concern was evident as they exited the visitors dressing room, one by one at Prudential Center, keen to the reality of whats at stake. “We lost five in a row here right so its building here,” said Kessel of the pressure. “Obviously we need some wins.” Five Points 1. The Struggle Continues His confidence all but shattered at this point, Reimer was yanked for the sixth time this season. He yielded three goals on 10 shots, his save percentage in relief of the injured Jonathan Bernier dipping to .889 in six appearances. The 26-year-old has not won a start in more than two months (Jan. 21). Of that sunken confidence, Reimer concurred. “Its never high after a loss obviously and getting pulled,” he said. “[But] as crazy as it sounds I know Im becoming a better goalie and obviously a better person.” Ever the optimist, Reimer explained why. “Its been a ton of adversity in many different forms,” he said. “And so when you can weather it and keep your chin up you just get better.” Appearing in just his fifth NHL game, Drew MacIntyre stopped all 14 shots he faced in place of Reimer. Where that leaves the Leafs crease with St. Louis on deck is unclear. Carlyle didnt know if Bernier (groin) would be available for the Tuesday affair. If hes not for the sixth straight game, its not hard to envision MacIntyre getting his first NHL start. 2. Finger Pointing The Leafs have been a poor defensive team all year, requiring fantastic goaltending most nights from Bernier to have success. Theyve not gotten such heroics in relief with Reimer. His days in Toronto soon to be numbered, Reimer could not fend off an odd-man rush late in the opening frame – Morgan Rielly caught up ice, Nazem Kadri stuck on a bad line change – beaten glove-side by Damien Brunner. Faked out by Patrik Elias when he snuck behind the defence on the second Devils goal, Reimer then yielded a late squeaker that ultimately drove the hook from Carlyle. “We havent helped him out one bit,” said Tyler Bozak, charged in his defence of Reimer. “Obviously its easy to pick on the goalie when things are going bad for a team. But its a team game. We win and lose as a team. We havent been playing near well enough to win games. It hasnt been him at all.” “Usually in this type of playoff atmosphere youve got to find a way to knuckle down and play a tighter brand of defensive hockey,” Carlyle said. “We seem to be able to give up those opportunities early and then we seem to tighten up as the game goes on.” 3. Season Gone Wrong Just a night before his first game back in New Jersey as a member of the Leafs, David Clarkson barely saw the ice. He played just eight minutes and 54 seconds in the 4-3 loss to Montreal, his lowest total (save for injury) since Nov. 5, 2010. A season gone wrong has seen no signs of let-up for the 29-year-old, who left the Devils last summer for a seven-year deal with the Leafs worth more than $36 million. From suspension to injuries to suspension to struggles to find a role, Clarkson has had few, if any, positives this season. “The way this years gone I could never imagine it,” said Clarkson, before facing his former team. His four goals and 10 points are matched by Dave Bolland, who missed nearly five months with an ankle injury, and Troy Bodie, who has garnered half the ice-time in 13 fewer games. Barring an unforeseeable late season surge, Clarkson would set career-lows in goals, points and shooting percentage (he missed 21 games) – his previous low for points coming in the 2010-11 season when he posted just 18 in 82 games, including only two on the power-play. And if there is one similarity to that year in Jersey to his first in Toronto its the power-play and his opportunity on it. When Clarkson exploded for 45 goals and 70 points in the two seasons which preceded his signing in Toronto he did so in large part because of the power-play. About a third of his production came that way in fact, the Mimico native totaling 14 power-play goals (31 per cent of the total) and 24 power-play points (34 per cent). His ice-time had not surprisingly sky-rocketed from where it had been previously (up to nearly four minutes per game a year ago). This season, that opportunity has tumbled back downward. Buried behind the more skilled likes of Kessel, van Riemsdyk, Bozak, Kadri, Lupul and Raymond, Clarkson has rarely seen the power-play – about 54 minutes total – and thusly has just two points from it. Combine that with a considerable drop in shot attempts and shooting percentage, far less crash and bang and an unending search for a clear-cut role and the season has simply evolved into a nightmare for the former Devil. He played 10 minutes on this night, stuck without a point for the 22nd time in the past 24 games. 4. Falling Behind When Brunner beat Reimer he gave the Devils a 1-0 lead and handed the Leafs their seventh straight deficit to start a game. They fell behind 2-0 for the fifth time in those seven games when Elias snuck by Rielly at the Toronto blue-line before faking out Reimer on the breakaway goal. Sluggish starts continue to be a problem for the Leafs. “Weve been playing from behind a lot lately and just been running out of time I guess you could say,” said Bozak. “Gotta have better starts and try and get a lead early.” The Leafs are now 8-19-4 when they trail after a period and 11-23-4 when their opponent scores first. Bozak and Kessel scored to slice the 3-0 deficit to one, but like their failed comebacks in each of the previous four losses, it was not enough. “Theres no easy way when youre down three on the road to think that youre going to consistently come back in the hockey game,” said Carlyle. 5. JVR Accountability Speaking after the game, James van Riemsdyk made sure to shoulder some of the blame personally for the Leafs failings. Though he had five shots and multiple opportunities on Schneider in a career-high 26 minutes, van Riemsdyk failed to score for the 10th time in the past 11 games. “Its my job to score goals and obviously right now its not good enough,” he said unprovoked on the subject. “Were not winning games, Im not scoring goals, and Ill have to be better.” Stats-Pack 1-6-0 – Leafs record in their past seven games. 7 – Consecutive games in which the Leafs allowed the first goal. 8-19-4 – Leafs record this season when trailing after the first period. 1 – Goal for James van Riemsdyk in the past 11 games. 10:00 – Ice-time for David Clarkson in his first game back to New Jersey. 26:14 – Ice-time for van Riemsdyk, a career-high. 36 – Goals for Phil Kessel, one off matching a career-high. .889 – Save percentage for James Reimer in place of Jonathan Bernier (six appearances). Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-4 Season: 20.8% (T-3rd) PK: 2-2 Season: 78.7% (28th) Quote of the Night “I think everyones just got to relax a little bit and give him some breathing space because we know James is a great goaltender.” - Nazem Kadri, on recent criticism of James Reimer. Up Next The Leafs return home to face one of the leagues top teams with the Blues visiting the ACC on Tuesday. Grossiste Chaussures Chinois . Thats exactly what happened. And they enjoyed every moment. Durant remained sizzling with 33 points, Serge Ibaka added 22 and the Thunder roared back from an abysmal start -- they trailed 22-4 early -- to embarrass the Miami Heat 112-95 on Wednesday night, erasing that big deficit out of the gate by outscoring the two-time defending champions by 43 points over a 33-minute span. Site De Air Max 270 Pas Cher . And though his comeback night didnt quite go to script, Bryant couldnt help reflecting on the work necessary to get back on that court -- and all the months of steady labour ahead to reclaim his game. Bryant had nine points and eight rebounds in his season debut, but Amir Johnson scored a career-high 32 points in the trade-depleted Toronto Raptors 106-94 victory over Los Angeles on Sunday night. https://www.grossistechaussurepascher.fr/grossiste-air-max-90-pas-cher-chine-soldes-192a.html . -- Henry Josey watched helplessly from the sideline last fall, rehabbing from a serious knee injury, while Missouri was getting pushed around in its first SEC season.NEW YORK -- After seeing his Yankees rotation mates go pitch for pitch against Detroits three Cy Young Award winners, Shane Greene was determined to match their outings. He did them all one better. Greene was lifted in the ninth inning after giving up only his fifth hit, then watched as closer David Robertson got pinch-hitter Miguel Cabrera to ground into a double play in New Yorks 1-0 victory over the Tigers on Thursday. "Starting pitchers, you see one guy do good, you see the next guy do good, you start to get on a roll," Greene said. Robertson relieved after Ian Kinsler led off with a single, and he walked Victor Martinez. Robertson came back to induce Cabrera to bounce into a double play and got Don Kelly to softly line out to shortstop with a runner on third for his 31st save and New Yorks fifth win in six games. "I had confidence he could get the job done," said Greene, who sat calmly in the dugout for the final three outs. Stephen Drews RBI ground-rule double was the only extra-base hit in a game dominated by Greene and fellow 25-year-old starter Rick Porcello. The Yankees took two of three in games started by the Tigers Cy Young winners with spectacular efforts from their rotation. New Yorks rookie followed up by pitching the best game of them all against the AL Central leaders. Greene (3-1) walked three and struck out five while pitching into the ninth inning for the first time in his career. Greene didnt permit a runner past second until Ezequiel Carrera advanced to third on Kinslers single in the sixth. The right-hander got out of it with his second double play. "To be able to continue to pound the strike zone with quality pitches. Thats impressive," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Greene. Overall, Yankees starters yielded three earned runs in 27 1-3 innings to the Tigers eight runs in 29 2-3 innings. Max Scherzer, David Price and Justin Verlander -- the last three AL Cy Young Award winners -- started the previous three games. "The pitching was outstanding, especially the staarting pitching," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. Nike Air Max Pas Cher Femme. "Unfortunately, we didnt take advantage in three of the four starts." Porcello (13-6) gave up nine hits in seven innings and struck out five. The Yankees loaded the bases in the seventh but the New Jersey-born Porcello got Martin Prado to ground his 110th pitch to shortstop Andrew Romine. The Yankees provided Greene all the support he needed with two outs in the fourth. Carlos Beltran and Chase Headley singled before Drews drive bounced just inside the line in left field and hopped into the stands. TRAINERS ROOM Tigers: Right fielder Torii Hunters left hand was still swollen and he was unable to play for a second straight game. He was hit by a pitch Tuesday night. Yankees: First baseman Mark Teixeira didnt play, a day after getting stitches in his left pinkie after he was spiked while sliding home Wednesday night. Girardi said Teixeira is day to day. ... Ace Masahiro Tanaka played catch again. "Hes got to get built up to 120 feet," Girardi said of the step needed for Tanaka to throw a bullpen. "I think he was 60-90 today." UP NEXT Tigers: Anibal Sanchez (8-5) will start when Detroit opens a three-game series at Toronto on Friday. The Blue Jays swept a three-game series at Detroit in June. Yankees: Host Cleveland for three games starting Friday. RHP Esmil Rogers (1-0, 5.84), who has pitched well in two games for the Yankees since he was claimed off waivers from Toronto, starts for New York. SITTING STARS The Yankees and Tigers gave some of their biggest names a rest in the day game after the teams played the night before. Derek Jeter and Brian McCann were out of the starting lineup for New York. Cabrera and Eugenio Suarez were out for Detroit. Cabrera didnt start for just the second time this season. He was 1 for 10 in the four-game series. JUST VISITING Former manager Jim Leyland sat in the front row next to the Detroit dugout. Leyland led the Tigers to three straight AL Central titles before retiring last off-season. ' ' '
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia 76ers have completed a buyout of the contract of veteran forward Danny Granger, enabling the veteran forward to sign with any team assuming he clears waivers by 5 p. Frank Viola Jersey .m. on Friday. Granger was acquired from the Indiana Pacers last Thursday for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen, but never played a minute for Philadelphia. The 76ers also received a 2015 second-round draft pick in the deal. "Given Dannys future goals and his desire to pursue them, we worked to fulfil his requests and have come to a resolution that we feel is mutually beneficial to both Danny and our organization," Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie said in a statement Wednesday night. "We wish Danny the best in the next phase of his career." Granger has averaged 17.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in his nine seasons, all of which were with the Pacers. Ryne Harper Twins Jersey . The defeat leaves the 41-year-old Nestor to concentrate on the mixed-doubles event after winning 12 straight matches and winning Australian titles in Brisbane and Sydney with two different partners. "This was a little bit of a let down, but all credit to them," said Nestor. Nelson Cruz Twins Jersey . The 20-year-old Barkley, whose impressive form this season could earn him a place in Englands World Cup squad, was hurt in Evertons 4-0 win over Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup on Jan. https://www.cheaptwins.com/2202t-taylor-rogers-jersey-twins.html . Ferrer, the two-time defending champion in Buenos Aires, is aiming to win his 21st ATP tournament. Ferrer will next face fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, the fourth seed, who defeated Jeremy Chardy of France 7-6 (7), 6-3 in another quarterfinal match. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Matt Carpenter had a career-high five hits for St. Louis on Wednesday night. The last of them was arguably the most important. Carpenter delivered a go-ahead double in the 11th inning, and the Cardinals added two more runs on a single by Allen Craig, sending them to a 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals and ending a frustrating three-game losing streak. "Sometimes it takes an emotional victory like this to kind of jumpstart a team," said Carpenter, who also reached base on a walk. "Maybe this one will be the one for us." The Royals rallied with two runs in the ninth, and the game remained tied until the 11th, when Peter Bourjos worked a one-out walk off Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera (1-2). Carpenter then rapped his double to centre field, drawing a roar from a crowd comprised mostly of Cardinals fans. Craig added his single off Tim Collins later in the inning, and Pat Neshek breezed through the bottom half to end the Royals six-game winning streak against National League clubs. Sam Freeman (1-0) earned the win with a perfect 10th inning. "It was just one of those gut-check games," Craig said. "Were not going to stop competing." Carpenter became the first Cardinal to record five hits in a game since Ryan Ludwick on Sept. 4, 2009. He had a part in his clubs first three runs, driving in Mark Ellis in the second inning and scoring on Matt Hollidays groundout in the seventh After St. Louis dropped the first two games of the four-game, two-city set at Busch Stadium, the NL champs rebounded to win for the eighth straight time at Kauffman Stadium. The Cardinals persevered after Adam Wainwright blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning. He struck out Eric Hosmer to start it, but the ball squirted away from catcher Yadier Molina, allowing Hosmer to reach first base. Billy Butler followed with a crisp single up the middle. Trevor Rosenthal, who took the loss Tuesday night, entered in relief and walked Alex Gordon on a full count to load the bases. Salvador Perez followwed with a broken-bat groundout to score a run, and Lorenzo Cains single up the middle knotted the game 2-all. Zack Littell Jersey. "You lose the lead and a start like that from Waino, theres a lot of teams that will roll over in that situation," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said, "but the guys stepped up." The ninth-inning rally still soured a dazzling outing by Wainwright, who was trying to become the NLs first nine-game winner. The two-time All-Star did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, stranded three runners on third base and struck out eight while walking just two. "Wainwright pitched a great game. Hes an unbelievable pitcher," Cain said. "When we tied the game, I thought we had them. We tried to spoil it for him at the end." Wainwright wasnt the only Cardinal to get on track, though. Molina had hits in his first two at-bats, snapping an 0-for-16 streak. Ellis ended an 0-for-8 stretch with his single in the second that led to the games first run. Jason Vargas kept Kansas City in it most of the night. After leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, he went on strand 10 in a season-high eight innings. The left-hander allowed nine hits and walked two while allowing two runs or fewer for the fifth time in six starts. "Carpenter was pretty hot," Vargas said. "It was just one of those games where youve got to grind, make pitches and kind of think your way through things." NOTES: Vargas threw a season-high 117 pitches. ... Royals RHP Greg Holland pitched a scoreless 10th, his 11th straight appearance without allowing a run. ... LHP Bruce Chen (bulging disc) said he will need at least two more rehab starts before rejoining the Royals. He allowed eight hits in three innings for Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday night. ... Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong was out of the lineup with a sore right shoulder. He pinch hit for Ellis in the 10th inning and remained in the game. ... RHP Michael Wacha starts for St. Louis in Thursdays series finale. RHP Yordano Ventura is on the mound for Kansas City. ' ' '
LONDON -- Paolo Di Canios turbulent and divisive Sunderland reign was abruptly ended after less than six months on Sunday as he became the first manager to be fired this Premier League season. NBA Jerseys . Sunderland announced it had "parted company" with the Italian a day after a 3-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion left the northeast club bottom of the standings and without a win from five games this season. The firing comes amid reports of player unrest after Di Canio said his "players need to release the rubbish from their brains," and brings an end an uneasy chapter in the clubs 134-year-old history. "The club would like to place on record its thanks to Paolo and his staff and wishes them well for the future," Sunderland said in a short statement, 175 days after hiring Di Canio. Di Canios appointment in March provoked a widespread backlash, with anger within and outside the club after American owner Ellis Short brought in a manager who had made well-publicized statements in the past expressing fascist leanings. Despite achieving the initial objective of avoiding relegation last season, the single point Sunderland had collected from five games this season means he is out of a job after just 13 games in charge. "It was perhaps (the club) felt that the players were finding it hard to conform to his unique style ... and by the looks of things the players werent buying into it," former Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn told Sky Sports television. "Theyve made a very brave decision to appoint him, they got what they wanted out of him, and now theyve made a brave decision (for him) to go. It wouldnt have been my style." Kevin Ball, a former Sunderland captain, has been put in temporary charge, with a League Cup game against Peterborough on Tuesday. Di Canio was only hired at the end of March, with the maverick replacing Martin ONeill when the team was nose-diving toward the League Championship. Critics not only questioned his lack of coaching experience -- just 21 months at lower-league Swindon -- but also his past statements that expressed fascist sympathies. On the evening he was appointed on March 31, former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband resigned from his positions as vice chairman and non-executive director of the club in protest. Following an outcry during a stormy few first days in charge, Di Canio eventually renounced his links to fascism but refused to be questioned on the matter. The row faded as he masterminded the three wins that preserved Sunderlands Premier League status, including a striking derby success at Newcastle. Given the resources to strengthen in the summer transfer window, Di Canio brought in 14 new players. But the decision to sign just one Englishman provoked the ire of the Football Association, whose chairman Greg Dyke held up the club as a reason for the inability for homegrown talent to gain opportunities in the countrys topflight. And the new first-team recruits failed to gel on the pitch -- with the only win this season coming in the League Cup against third-tier side MK Dons. Di Canios only managerial experience until landing the Sunderland job had been in League One. And his outspoken approach at Swindon had already angered many while flagging up the potential pitfalls of putting him in the dugout. Already this season, Di Canio had been fined 8,000 pounds ($12,800) by the FA after accepting a charge of misconduct for an outburst at a referee that saw him sent off. After a colorful playing career in the top divisions of Italy, England and Celtic, Di Canios downfall was not unexpected. Although he scored sublime goals, there were also headline-grabbing antics, notably when he pushed a referee to the ground after being sent off while playing for Sheffield Wednesday in 1998. He scored more than 100 goals in over 500 appearances as a player with Lazio, Juventus, Napoli, AC Milan, Celtic and West Ham among other clubs before retiring in 2008. Now his next steps in football remain uncertain -- particularly in England -- while Sunderland searches for its sixth permanent manager in less than five years. Possible candidates for the job are former Chelsea and West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo, and Gus Poyet, who left Brighton earlier this year. Cheap Authentic Jerseys . The 28-year-old lefty made his MLB debut in 2013, making 10 starts and going 2-5 with 4.05 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Albers was named the Twins organizations minor league pitcher of the year for 2013. Cheap Jerseys From China . Yoenis Cespedes proved he can play through a hurting right heel, giving Scott Kazmir and the As a spark with a pair of RBIs that helped spoil the Minnesota Twins home opener with an 8-3 victory on Monday. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/ . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak.GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Chicago White Sox have claimed right-handed pitcher Javy Guerra off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The White Sox made move Wednesday. The 28-year-old Guerra is 4-5 with a 2.90 ERA and 29 saves in three big league seasons with the Dodgers. He missed much of the 2012 sseason with injuries and had a 6. Cheap Jerseys. 75 ERA last year in 10 2-3 innings with Los Angeles. Guerra spent most of last year at Triple-A Albuquerque, going 0-4 with 12 saves and a 3.66 ERA. "Its potentially another high-leverage arm," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn. ' ' '
CEDAR PARK, Texas -- Stars captain Maxime Fortunus scored two power-play goals and assisted on another as Texas snapped a two-game slide with a 6-0 pummelling of the Toronto Marlies in American Hockey League action on Saturday. John Gant Cardinals Jersey . Chris Mueller also had two goals and an assist, and Curtis McKenzie and Mike Hedden rounded out the offence for the West division-leading Stars (28-13-5). Texas goalie Cristopher Nilstorp made 19 saves for his second shutout of the season. Marlies goaltender Drew MacIntyre started in net, but was pulled after giving up four goals on 36 shots through just over 39 minutes. Garret Sparks stopped 11 of 13 shots in relief. Toronto (26-15-4) mustered just two shots on net through the third period, and was outshot 49-19 in the game. Texas was 3 for 11 on the power play while the Marlies, who racked up 64 penalty minutes on 18 infractions, were scoreless on four chances with the man advantage. St. Louis Cardinals Pro Shop . Acclaimed by world football leaders but held in contempt by many football fans. Blatter should arrive at the Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo to watch host Brazil play Croatia confident that this tournament -- his fifth as president -- wont be his last leading the worlds favourite sport. Jose Martinez Jersey . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/594t-bobby-tolan-jersey-cardinals.html . - The Denver Broncos kept rookie wide receiver Tavarres King from joining the Green Bay Packers by promoting him to their active roster Tuesday.PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- It had been so long that Brittany Lincicome didnt quite know what to think about her spot atop the LPGA Championship leaderboard. Lincicome opened a three-stroke lead Friday in the wind-swept tournament, the LPGA Tours fourth major championship of the season, as Americans moved into position for their fourth straight major victory of the year. "I feel like Ive been doing a lot of really good things," Lincicome said. "I feel like Ive been playing really well, driving it far, which is awesome. But its just not coming together." It has at Monroe Golf Club. The long-hitting Lincicome followed her opening 67 with a 68 to reach 9 under as she chases her first title since 2011. She won the 2009 Kraft Nabisco for her lone major title and has five LPGA Tour victories. Lexi Thompson, tied for the first-round lead with Meena Lee, dropped into a tie for second with defending champion Inbee Park of South Korea. Thompson had a 72, and Park shot 66. That gave the United States two players at the top with majors already on the trophy shelf. "Its a great leaderboard so far," said Thompson, who won the Kraft Nabisco to start the major run. "Today was a little more difficult than yesterday. Just didnt hit it as well, but I did make some good putts, so Im going to take a positive out of it." Its the first time Americans have won the first three majors since 1999, and they havent won four since 1992. Michelle Wie won the U.S. Womens Open, and Mo Martin surged to victory in the final round at the Womens British Open. A fifth major, the Evian Championship in France, was added last year. Seventeen-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand had a 69 to join Lee, from South Korea, and Jane Park at 5 under. Lee had a 73, and Park shot 69. Top-ranked Stacy Lewis sputtered again with a 1-over 73 to finish the two rounds at even par. Jennifer Kirby (79), from Paris, Ont., dropped from second in the first round to 54th on Friday at a 2-over par. Lincicome had an eagle and three birdies to go with one bogey for her second solid day. She averaged 277.5 yards off the tee on the two measured holes and needed only 26 putts for the second straight day. "Its been incredible," Lincicome said. "I havent been here in a while, especially in a major." Thompson reached 8 under after a birdie at the par-5 14th hole but followed with bogeys at Nos. 8 and 9 to drop into a tie with Lincicome at the turn. Lincicome, who started the day one shot off the lead, birdied the par-5 12th hole to gain a one-shot advantage while Inbee Park slowly clawed her way back into contention after shooting even par on the first day. Park had two birdies and chipped in from a greenside bunker for an eagle on her first five holes on the back side, and three birdies in the first three holes on the front put her att 6 under. Stitched Cardinals Jerseys. "Quite different from yesterday," said Park, who won three majors last year. "I thought I need to change things a little bit and get a little more aggressive, and thats what I did." Thompsons birdie at No. 3 forged a tie with Lincicome and Meena Lee at 7 under, but it was short-lived. Moments later, Lincicome notched the sixth eagle of the day at the par-5 14th hole to put her two shots ahead and then parred out. Unable to string any sort of run together as she did on the first day, Thompson dropped into a tie for second after a bogey at the par-3 sixth hole, statistically the sixth-most difficult hole on the day. Locust Hill had been LPGAs host in the Rochester area for 37 straight years before the tour made the switch this year to nearby Monroe. The Donald Ross-designed course is about 300 yards longer at 6,717 yards, and the wider fairways favoured long hitters. "Right now, the fairways are generous. You can just bomb it off the tee," said Suzann Pettersen, tied for seventh at 4 under after a 69. "You can risk the extra few yards. Even if you miss it (the fairway), youll still be able to get to the greens somehow." A gusting wind strafed the course all day, sending leaves and bits of bark onto some greens and making each shot an adventure. Pettersen, who averaged over 276 yards off the tee, second-best over the first two rounds, was in the morning group and managed to stay out of trouble for the most part. It wasnt easy. "It is playable out there, but youve got to hit some great golf shots," Pettersen said. "The wind is a bit choppy. Its bounding up and down all the time. Youve got to try and find the pocket, try and hit the right shot that gives you the highest percentage." Ko, already a four-time winner on her LPGA Tour career, hit all 14 fairways and reached 15 greens in regulation in notching six birdies with three bogeys in an up-and-down day. Ko needed 31 putts to complete the round -- six more than the first day -- in part because of a three-putt bogey at No. 2 and then failing to get up-and-down at No. 4 in making another bogey. Both holes are par 4s. "I just give myself as many opportunities as I can," said the low-key Ko, who didnt touch a club during a recent five-day stretch because her swing was "on holiday." "I wish I was a long hitter," Ko said. "Im just trying to play to my strengths." Ko, a two-time winner this season, remained focused on the moment and just shrugged at the possibility of becoming the youngest winner of a major in LPGA Tour history. "I think about winning at the end of the week," Ko said. "Im going to go out there and just have some fun. Theres still two more days. Im pretty confident. Its good to be in this position." ' ' '
HARRISON, N. Kerry Wood Jersey .J. -- Maximiliano Urruti scored in each half to rally Portland to a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night, extending the Timbers unbeaten streak to five with only their second win of the season. Urruti tied it just before halftime and added the winner in the 74th to help Portland improve to 2-3-7 and move out of last place in Major League Soccers Western Conference. The Red Bulls (3-5-5) have lost three straight and two in a row at home. The win was the first for Portland in five meetings between the clubs. The Timbers only other victory this season came May 3 at home, 3-2 over D.C. United. After Bradley Wright-Phillips put New York ahead in the 36th, Urruti scored his fourth and fifth goals to lead Portland. "If youve seen us play this season, we wait until we get punched before we react," Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts said. "It was a nice response from the team." With less than a minute remaining in the first half, Steve Zakuani sent a simple pass to Urruti just outside the penalty area. The Argentine, who joined Portland in September, had time and space to turn and hit a shot that deflected off of New York defender Armandos shoulder and skip past keeper Luis Robles. "The first goal was key because we were kind of spread out throughout the pitch," Urruti said through a translator. "It kind of brought us back together again. It was good. We had to go into the locker room and come out more aggressive in the second half." Urruti added the winner when Jorge Villafanas cross through the 6-yard box deflected off Armando and bounced to the far corner of the goal area. Urruti ran in and drove the free ball into the far side netting. "Ive been getting used to the league. Getting more minutes has been key," Urruti said. "Getting more playing time being on the pitch, thats been moulding me into the player that Ive become and moulding me to the league itself." The Red Bulls started quickly, getting an Eric Alexander header from the edge of the six that went just high in the third minute. Wright-Phillips hit the inside of the right post from the middle of the penalty area six minutes later but the ball caromed back into the area. Wright-Phillips had a second chance seconds later when he put in a rebound of teammate Lloyd Sams shot, but he was offside. "Ive been in this league long enough, and Ive been through a hell of a lot longer and worse spells than were in right now," Red Bulls coach Mike Petke said. "Part of its mental. We did enough to win this game. It just didnt fall." Wright-Phillips put New York ahead in the 36th converting a penalty kick after Pa Mouda Kah was called for bringing down Lloyd Sam. Sam took a pass from Thierry Henry on the edge of the six and, with Kah on his back, the two jostled. Kah fell backward, pulling Sam on top of him. It was Wright-Phillips 10th of the season, giving him a share of the league lead with Kansas Citys Dom Dwyer. Koji Uehara Cubs Jersey .com) - Richard Shermans two interceptions highlighted a dominant defensive effort, as the Seattle Seahawks routed the San Francisco 49ers in a highly anticipated NFC West Thanksgiving clash. James Norwood Jersey . Anderson shook off some unusually poor shooting and hit two clutch 3-pointers in overtime that carried the New Orleans Pelicans to a 111-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. https://www.cheapcubs.com/300t-justin-steele-jersey-cubs.html . The 18-year-old Januzaj has made his breakthrough at United this season, including scoring twice in a 2-1 win over Sunderland before the recent international break. His performances have sparked a debate about where his international future lies.MIAMI -- The Miami Marlins have gotten contributions from a number of players during their recent surge. On Tuesday night, their two All-Stars led them. Henderson Alvarez pitched seven scoreless innings, Giancarlo Stanton drove in two runs and the surging Marlins beat Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals 3-0 for their sixth straight win. Christian Yelich also drove in a run for the Marlins, who have won nine of their last 10. "Guys are excited, theres a lot of confidence," manager Mike Redmond said. Steve Cishek loaded the bases in the ninth before striking out Anthony Rendon to record his 27th save in 30 chances. At 53-53, the Marlins have climbed back to the .500 mark for the first time since June 25 when they were 39-39. They trail the Nationals by five games in the NL East. "Theyve got the ability to roll off like theyre rolling right now," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. Strasburg (7-9) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings after allowing four runs in each of his last two starts. Alvarez (8-5), who issued a season-high four walks, got out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the second inning. He got help from third baseman Casey McGehee, who made a diving catch to rob Nate McLouth from extra bases for the second out in the inning. "When youre winning ballgames, guys are making big plays," Redmond said. The Marlins got to Strasburg in the sixth when Stanton doubled to left to score a run. Stanton came into the game hitless in his last nine at-bats, striking out eight times. "I havent felt good for a while now," Stanton said. "I did a little different set in pregame, so hopefully Im feeling better and more comfortable at the plate and today was a good plus." Yelich hit an RBI double in the eighth to give Miami a 2-0 lead and Stanton drove him iin two batters later. Derek Holland Cubs Jersey. Miamis Jeff Baker had his career-best 11-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-3 night. Bryce Harper had two of the Nationals five hits. TRAINERS ROOM There is still no timetable for Nationals star Ryan Zimmerman, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 23 with a pulled hamstring. "The first two weeks are key," Williams said. "So once it gets healed, it starts to mat down a little bit and then you can start doing some strengthening exercises and then you get a better idea of where he would be." Also, plate umpire D.J. Reyburn took a pitch off his right wrist in the top of the seventh inning, delaying the game for nearly five minutes. In the ninth, Reyburn was struck in the right knee and play was momentarily halted. "He reminded me of myself back in the day getting smoked by foul tips, that was rough," Redmond said. "Thats one of those nights where you just sit back and pull out a Bud Light and enjoy it." ON DECK Tanner Roark (10-6, 2.82) will start for the Nationals in Wednesdays series finale against Brad Hand (2-2, 4.19). Roark has allowed one run in seven innings in each of his three previous starts with a 3-0 record. Hand is coming off his best outing of the season, pitching 7 1-3 scoreless innings at Houston on July 25. POSTGAME MOVE The Marlins optioned outfielder Jake Marisnick to Triple-A New Orleans and plan to call up infielder Ed Lucas in a corresponding move. Lucas has hit .239 with one home run and seven RBIs in 50 games for the Marlins. DEAL TIME Both teams could be looking to make moves before Thursdays non-waiver trade deadline. "Any help we can get to make us better is always good," Stanton said. "You never what its going to be or if theres going to be one, but any additions will help." ' ' '
DALLAS - Cedric Paquette and Brett Connolly each scored a goal and assisted on another as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Dallas Stars 5-1 on Tuesday night. Tom Heinsohn Jersey .The Lightning scored 37 seconds into the game, when Richard Panik put a rebound past Dallas goalie Anders Lindback. Jonathan Marchessault and Paquette assisted.Connolly assisted on Paquettes goal in the third period and then scored one himself 4 1/2 minutes later.Lightning goalie Ben Bishop made 21 saves. Lindback stopped 28 shots but gave up five goals.Tampa Bays special teams provided two goals in the second period. J.T. Brown stole the puck on a short-handed goal, and Nikita Kucherov scored on the power play.Jamie Benn scored for the Stars on a rebound at 14:50 of the second.Dallas completed its preseason schedule with a 4-2 record. Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen, who left Mondays game with a concussion, is expected to play in the season opener Oct. 9. Cheap Celtics Jerseys . Steve has built a solid reputation throughout the years - first as a hockey player, then as an NHL general manager and now as a scout. Fake Celtics Jerseys . -- Andy Granatelli, the former CEO of STP motor oil company who made a mark on motorsports as a car owner, innovator and entrepreneur, has died. https://www.cheapceltics.com/682n-gordon-hayward-jersey-celtics.html . Advancing to the Champions League quarterfinals should be a formality after Lionel Messi scored a penalty and Dani Alves added a late second to secure a commanding 2-0 advantage over City in the round of 16 on Tuesday.DECATUR, Ala. -- A judge on Friday convicted Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct in his Alabama hometown and imposed an 18-day jail term that could interrupt the players bid to restart his career. Municipal Judge Billy Cook convicted McClain on the misdemeanour counts after a non-jury trial that lasted about three hours. McClain was accused of yelling an obscenity at police trying to arrest him during a disturbance in a crowded city park in 2013. McClain wont have to report for his jail sentence until after an appeal is complete in state court. Cook also ordered McClain to pay $1,572 in fines and court costs. Its unclear how long an appeal might take. The judge signed a document stating McClain, 25, was free to leave the state while challenging the convviction. Nate Archibald Jersey. Defence attorney Harvey Steinberg said McClain would head to Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, Calif., within hours of the trial. "My attitude is I think I ran into the only person in the entire state of Alabama that would convict Rolando McClain based on this evidence," said Steinberg. "Unfortunately, it happened to be the judge." The former Alabama Crimson Tide star maintained his innocence and said police arrested the wrong person. Hes been arrested three times in Decatur since 2011. McClain tried to delay the trial so he could attend the start of NFL training camp this week, but a judge refused. The Cowboys acquired the rights to McClain from Baltimore on July 1. He was the eighth overall pick by Oakland in 2010 but hasnt played since 2012. ' ' '
BELLEVILLE, Ont. Air Jordan 1 High OG Fearless White Mens . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. It was Oshawas (30-12-4) fourth win in a row. Michael Dal Colle opened the scoring for the Generals with his 29th goal of the season on a power play at 8:43 of the first period. Justice Dundas scored the games other goal a little over two minutes later. Charlie Graham made 23 saves for Belleville (13-28-4). Oshawa was 1 for 2 on the power play, while the Bulls were 0 for 7. --- FRONTENACS 6 67s 4 OTTAWA -- The Kingston Frontenacs used a four-goal second period to open a 5-0 lead before holding off the 67s. Six players shared in the scoring for Kingston (25-17-4) with Corey Pawley getting the Frontenacs on the board first. Goals by Michael Moffat, Spencer Watson, Slater Doggett and Lawson Crouse made it 5-0 in the second period. Henri Ikonen added an empty netter with two seconds left in the game after Ottawas fourth straight goal cut the margin to 5-4. Ryan Van Stralen scored twice for the 67s. Brett Gustavsen and Travis Konecny got the other Ottawa (15-26-4) goals. Konecnys goal made it a one-goal game at 14:34 of the third. Matt Mahalak made 23 saves for Kingston, which ended a four-game losing streak. Philippe Trudeau was lifted after allowing his fifth goal on 19 shots at 14:11 of the second period. Liam Herbst went the rest of the way and turned back all 15 shots he faced. The Frontenacs were 0 for 3 on the power play, and the 67s were 1 for 4. Off White Jordan 1 Wholesale .com) - Ben Lovejoy tallied a goal and an assist as the Anaheim Ducks cruised into the All-Star break with a 6-3 victory against the Calgary Flames. Cheap Jordan 1 Off White .The law passed on Friday, in a 128-62 vote in the lower chamber of parliament, was prompted by FIFA bribery scandals in recent years.Switzerland-based sports leaders such as FIFA President Sepp Blatter and IOC President Thomas Bach are now classed as politically exposed persons in wider legislation covering money-laundering. http://www.bestfakejordan1.com/cheap-jordan-1-bred-outlet.html . - Playing a road game against a division rival raises the intensity for linebacker Clay Matthews. WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane says he did throw three punches, but only in defence, as he was attacked in Vancouver by a man now suing him for assault. Vancouver resident Lev Makievsky has said he was returning home from work Aug. 10, 2013, in the downtown area when he was assaulted by Kane, who is from Vancouver. His statement of claim gave no details of the alleged incident but listed a long series of injuries he says he incurred, including a concussion and an unnamed permanent physical disability. Kanes lawyers have filed a response that says he has known Makievsky for about four years and encountered him at about 2 a.m. on the date in question. It says Makievsky tried to get Kane to fight and when he declined, charged and swung at Kane, who responded with three punches and knocked his attacker down. Then, as Makievsky got up and swuung again, Kane pushed him down and left. Jordan 1 White China. . "The Plaintiff was highly confrontational and shouted insults at the Defendant," says Kanes response filed in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. "When the Defendant attempted to walk away, the Plaintiff said lets go and suggested that the Defendant should engage in a physical fight with him." The response also says Makievsky was heard boasting at work the next night that he planned to sue Kane. "The Defendants conduct was at all times consistent with preventing or repelling the Plaintiff from attacking him. The Defendant used no more than reasonable force to defend himself from the Plaintiff." Kanes response notes no charges have been laid. Vancouver police have said they did investigate an incident that night and found no basis on which to lay charges. ' ' '
Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork. Fake Nike Air Max Replica .com) - After patiently waiting for his time to come, Blake Sims more than showed he was ready for the moment. With the fifth-year senior throwing for 262 yards and two touchdowns in a near-flawless performance, No. 1 Alabama left no doubt of its imminent inclusion in the College Football Playoff with a 42-13 manhandling of 14th- ranked Missouri in the SEC Championship Game. The Crimson Tides authortative victory virtually assured them of playing in one of the two national semifinal games to be held on New Years Day, most likely in the Sugar Bowl as the top overall seed in the four-team playoff. It was also allow Sims the opportunity to attempt to do what A.J. McCarron and Greg McElroy did before him -- quarterback the Crimson Tide to a national championship. The first-year starter connected on a sharp 23-of-27 passes, with 12 of his completions going to Heisman candidate Amari Cooper, and Alabama (12-1) churned out 242 yards on the ground in dealing Missouri a second straight loss in the conference title game. The East champion Tigers fell 59-42 to Auburn in Atlanta a year ago. Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon each ran for a pair of touchdowns, with Henry amassing a career-high 141 yards on 20 carries. DeAndrew White added 101 receiving yards and a touchdown on four catches, with Cooper contributing 83 yards in the blowout. Jimmie Hunt racked up a career-best 169 yards on six receptions for Missouri (10-3), but the Tigers mustered just 41 rushing yards while allowing 504 total to the Crimson Tide. Maty Mauk couldnt match Sims exploits, with the Mizzou signal-caller finishing an inconsistent 16-of-34 for 272 yards and a touchdown. Sims was named the games MVP afterward and stated his case right away. He hit on his first nine passes, five of which came on a 10-play, 68-yard opening drive in which Alabama effortlessly moved down the field to grab an early edge on Yeldons 1-yard touchdown run just over 3 1/2 minutes in. Missouris offense, on the other hand, mustered a meager 27 yards and one first down over its first four possessions. But the Tigers were still able to keep it a 7-0 score into the second quarter, aided by a 43-yard missed field goal by Adam Griffith on Alabamas fourth series. The Crimson Tide had no problem extending the lead on their subsequent drive, however, as White got behind the Tigers defense to haul in Sims perfectly thrown deep ball for a 58-yard touchdown with 11:48 left in the first half. The big play turned out to be a doubly crushing blow for the Tigers, as star defensive end Shane Ray was ejected on the score for delivering a blow to Sims head well after the throw. Missouri did manage to generate something positive on its ensuing trek, as Hunt came down with Mauks up-for-grabs heave for a 32-yard gain that positioned Andrew Baggett for a 33-yard field goal that cut the deficit to 14-3. Alabama countered with another impressive offensive set, a 14-play, 75-yard march in which Sims converted three third-down situations with completions. Yeldon finished the jaunt with a 2-yard run to send the Crimson Tide into the break owning a commanding 21-3 advantage. Sims went 15-of-17 for 160 yards over the first two quarters, while Cooper had 10 catches totaling 61 yards at the half. Missouri regrouped after the intermission to make a bid to get back in it in the third quarter. Mauk escaped a rush on 3rd-and-10 to fire a 63-yard deep strike to Hunt down the left sideline to begin the third quarter, then hit Bud Sasser on a slant shortly afterward for a 1-yard touchdown on 4th-and-goal. Mauk and Hunt were at it again on the Tigers subsequent drive, teaming up for a 47-yard gain on another 3rd-and-10 play that led to Baggetts 33-yard field goal which pulled Missouri within 21-13 with 4:37 to go in the third quarter. The Tigers next three possessions resulted in two punts and a lost fumble, however, as Alabama pulled away. Three clutch catches by Cristion Jones, the last a 6-yard touchdown grab, highlighted a 10-play, 64-yard series that put the Tide up 28-13 early in the fourth quarter. Alabama then ripped off 90 yards in just six plays after getting the ball back, with Henry capping the drive by breaking free for a 26- yard touchdown run with under eight minutes left. Henry then scampered 45 yards to the Missouri 1-yard line following a Tigers turnover before powering over the goal line on the next play for the games final points. Game Notes Sims 83.2 percent completion percentage established a new SEC Championship Game record, bettering the mark of 77.1 percent set by NFL veteran Jason Campbell for Auburn in 2004 ... The West division has now won the last six SEC title games, with Alabama recording three victories during that stretch ... Alabama head coach Nick Saban improved to 9-1 in games that decided either the SEC title or the national championship ... Missouri fell to 0-4 all-time in conference title games, with two of those losses coming in the Big 12 ... Henrys previous career best was 113 rushing yards, set against West Virginia in the SEC opener. Discount Nike Air Max Wholesale . GQ Lundqvist quite well.Three rounds, and nearly two months later, will the Kings have the strength to reach the summit of the Empire State to claim the cup?Truer words have never been spoken. Cheap Nike Air Max Outlet .com) - Jahlil Okafor had 21 points, Tyus Jones scored 16 with 10 assists and No. https://www.wholesalenikeairmaxshoes.com/ .ca. Hi Mr. Fraser, When I was watching the Heritage Classic in Vancouver there was a play midway through the third where Ottawa crashed the Canucks net and it came off its moorings.MANCHESTER, England - Manchester City maintained its supremacy over fierce rival Manchester United in unconvincing style on Sunday, winning a frenetic derby 1-0 through Sergio Agueros second-half goal after playing with an extra man for more than half the game.Chris Smallings 39th-minute sending-off for two quick yellow cards and an injury to fellow centre-back Marcos Rojo at the start of the second half left United with a makeshift defence that held out until the 63rd minute.The resistance was broken when Aguero turned home a cut-back from Gael Clichy for his league-high 10th goal of the season.United was the more dangerous side in the last 20 minutes and the final whistle was greeted with relief by City fans, who have seen their side win four straight league matches against their biggest rival for the first time since 1969-70.We played very, very well until we scored a goal, City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. For different reasons, we dropped a little bit more than we needed, we lost the high possession of the ball we had before that. It is normal in a derby.City ended a three-match winless run in all competitions but is still lacking the intensity and ruthlessness it showed in winning the league and League Cup last season. The gap to unbeaten leader Chelsea is six points whereas ninth-place United is 13 points off the pace — with just half the points of Jose Mourinhos side — despite a summer outlay of about $250 million.It is Uniteds worst start to a league season after 10 games since 1986.I have seen the willpower of this team that I said to the players is fantastic, United manager Louis van Gaal, but we have still only 13 points out of 10 games and that is not so much.Smallings red card was a turning point in a typically frantic, high-tempo derby, although City had already taken command by that point with United goalkeeper David de Gea saving twice from Aguero and also point blank from Jesus Navas in a three-minute spell. Nike Air Max Sale. Booked needlessly in the 31st for impeding an out-of-hand clearance by goalkeeper Joe Hart, Smalling dived into a challenge on James Milner eight minutes later and knew what was coming from referee Michael Oliver.The second yellow card is a stupid yellow card, Van Gaal said.When you have a yellow card, he added, you have to deal with that. You know that. You cannot do what he has done with the second yellow card. That is not very smart.The visitors survived until halftime, somewhat fortunately as Rojo — as the last man — appeared to foul Yaya Toure in the final seconds. But their situation became even more critical at the start of the second half when Rojo was carried off on a stretcher with a left shoulder injury in the 55th following a challenge with Martin Demichelis.For the final 35 minutes, Uniteds unfamiliar defence contained two midfielders, in Antonio Valencia at right back and substitute Michael Carrick at centre back, and two 19-year-olds in second substitute Paddy McNair and left back Luke Shaw.It was always going to be a struggle for United to hold out and Aguero was not to be denied.A searching pass from Toure found Clichy — a last-minute call-up after Aleksandar Kolarov picked up an injury in the warmup — and the left-backs cross from the byline was steered in by Aguero, who moved beyond Diego Costa as the leagues top scorer.It was only then that United started to create chances, with Angel Di Maria bringing a sprawling save from Joe Hart and Marouane Fellaini heading wide when meeting a cross from Di Maria.Navas struck the post at the other end but United was pressing more when the full-time whistle was blown.United is nearer the bottom three than the top three after more than a quarter of the season.We are very close but not close enough, Van Gaal, and we have to make steps still to improve. ' ' '
The Montreal Canadiens will try to get back in the Eastern Conference Final series with the New York Rangers when the two collide in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden this evening. Sneakers Sale . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 690 at 8pm et/5pm pt and watch live coverage of the post-game news conferences on TSN.ca. The Canadiens, who are without the services of No. 1 goaltender Carey Price, will have 24-year-old Dustin Tokarski between the pipes again tonight with Peter Budaj serving as the backup. Tokarski performed admirably in his postseason debut on Monday, but it wasnt enough to prevent Montreal from falling behind two games to none. Henrik Lundqvist outdueled the Canadiens netminder, making 40 saves to anchor New York to its fifth consecutive victory. Tokarski, who had played in three games earlier in the season, allowed all three goals on 30 shots in his first taste of NHL playoff action. "We looked at his record. Tokarski is a winner and we know that from his past record. I thought he played very well tonight," said Montreal head coach Michel Therrien. "I liked our team effort, which was great tonight. We were engaged. But the reason we lost tonight was Lundqvist, he stole the game tonight. We had lots of chances to score but Lundqvist made key saves." Tokarski became the first goaltender to make his playoff debut in the Conference Final or later since the NHL expanded to a four-round postseason format in 1975. Price is out for the remainder of the Conference Final due to a lower-body injury suffered in Game 1. Forward Thomas Vanek, who has no points, one shot and a minus-3 rating, took turns skating on the fourth line during practice Wednesday. Therrien told reporters not to read into it, as it all could change again ahead of Game 3. Max Pacioretty scored for Montreal at 6:14 of the first period, but McDonagh answered with his tally just 17 seconds later. The Canadiens put a ton of pressure on New York in the opening 20 minutes, but Lundqvist stopped 13-of-14 shots in the period and Nash would score late in the stanza to give the Rangers the lead for good. "Hes the only reason we were still in the game because they had tremendous push," said New York head coach Alain Vigneault about Lundqvist. Montreal was 0-for-4 on the man advantage and has failed to score over seven chances in the first two games. The Rangers went 1-for-3 on the power play and are 4-for-10 in the series. "We had a number of opportunities to put ourselves in a good position, but they were optimistic and capitalized on their opportunities," said Habs defenseman P.K. Subban. "The difference is, we didnt. Were getting pucks to the net, but not getting the bounces right now. We have to stick with it, because sooner or later the pucks will go in for us." New York played without forward Derick Brassard, who suffered an injury early in Game 1 and was replaced in the lineup by Daniel Carcillo on Monday. He skated Wednesday and Vigneault said hes is day-to-day. "It was good to get back out there with my teammates," Brassard said Wednesday. "I havent talked to the medical staff, well see whats going to happen." Vigneault also said winger Benoit Pouliot "is good" for tonight after taking a maintenance day on Wednesday. New York is 10-2 all-time when winning the first two games of a seven-game playoff series, including a 4-1 mark when claiming the first two tests on the road. New York is 5-0 since falling behind 3-1 in its semifinal set against Pittsburgh. Mondays win improved the Rangers to 6-3 on the road in these playoffs, marking the first time the Blueshirts have won six away games in one postseason since they last won the Stanley Cup in 1994. The Rangers, however, are just 4-3 on home ice in the playoffs. The Habs are 4-2 as the guest. Tonights tilt is the first of two straight at the Garden, as the clubs are set to meet Sunday in Manhattan for Game 4. Ryan McDonagh posted a goal and an assist in Mondays win, while Martin St. Louis and Rick Nash also scored for the Rangers. Derek Stepan added two assists in the victory. McDonagh has six points (2G, 4A) in the first two games of this series. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, McDonagh is the first Rangers defenseman to record six points in a two-game span in the postseason since Brian Leetch in 1995. Leetch registered three points in consecutive games in New Yorks opening round series against the Quebec Nordiques in 1995. "Not everyone plays consistently at the level you want, and I can say the same thing about me," said McDonagh. "But other guys stepped up and its a good thing to win both games here. You focus on one game at a time, but weve really been ready to push ourselves to consistently to put us in this manner and give ourselves a chance in every game." This is the first postseason encounter between these Original Six rivals since the opening round of the 1996 playoffs when New York won in six games. The clubs have split 14 previous playoff series, but the Rangers have now won six straight postseason games against Montreal, becoming just the fourth team in NHL history to take six playoff tilts in a row versus the storied Canadiens franchise. Both teams are attempting to get back to the Cup Final for the first time since the 1990s. Montreal was the last team based in Canada to win it all in 1993, but has yet to return to the Cup Final, and the Rangers are aiming to get back to the final stage for the first time since 1994. Vapormax Sale .ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. Air Max 97 Sale . About seven hours before facing Washington in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference second round series, team officials said the oft-injured Bynum would miss the rest of the playoffs and would not even be with the team for the rest of the post-season. https://www.wholesaleshoesforcheap.com/ . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Darcy Kuemper, Minnesota (5): He was calm, poised, and looked comfortable all game.Villanova, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Ryan Arcidiacono led the way with 18 points and six assists as No. 5 Villanova cruised past Xavier for an 88-75 win on Wednesday. Dylan Ennis went 5-of-8 from 3-point range to finish with 17 points and Josh Hart chipped in with 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Wildcats (16-1, 4-1 Big East), who have won three straight following their lone blemish of the season, a 66-61 overtime loss to Seton Hall on Jan. 3. Matt Stainbrook scored 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field and Jalen Reynolds contributed 14 points, five boards and three blocks for the Musketeers (11-6, 2-3), who have dropped three of their last four games. Darrun Hilliard, Arcidiacono and Ennis each made a 3-pointer as the Wildcats jumped out to an 11-2 lead less than four minutes into the game. After J.P. Macura brought the Musketeers within six points, Villanova answered with a 12-2 run that featured seven straight points from Hart foor a 34-17 lead. Yeezy 700 Sale. The Wildcats maintained its lead as the game was 45-27 at halftime. Daniel Ochefu capped a 9-0 spurt early in the second half with a layup, giving Villanova a 59-36 lead with 14 minutes to play. Dee Davis, however, scored the first seven points of Xaviers 13-2 burst that cut the deficit to 12. Stainbrook scored six points, Myles Davis hit a jumper and Reynolds dunked to make it a 67-57 game with seven minutes to play. JayVaughn Pinkstons two free throws kickstarted an 8-0 run with under five minutes to play and the Wildcats led comfortably the rest of the way. Game Notes Pinkston and Hilliard had 12 and 10 points, respectively, in the win ... Villanova leads the all-time series, 19-4 ... The Wildcats are 37-1 when scoring 70 points or more in a game since the start of the 2013-14 season and are 14-0 when doing so this season ... Xavier owned a 46-18 advantage for points in the paint. ' ' '
DAYTON, Ohio -- So much for first-time jitters. Bud Selig Jersey . Chris Eversley scored 19 points to help Cal Poly avoid its 20th loss of the season and win its first NCAA tournament game, 81-69 victory over Texas Southern on Wednesday night in the First Four. The Mustangs (14-19) were 0-3 and 4-9 early before losing nine of 11 heading into the Big West Conference tournament -- which they won to earn the programs first NCAA bid. The team with the worst record in the tournament now moves on to face the one with the best -- top-seeded Wichita State (34-0) -- in the second round in St. Louis on Friday. There have been 23 teams with losing records in the NCAA tournament since 1955. Only three teams had won in the first/opening round. Aaric Murray closed out his career with 38 points for Texas Southern (19-15), champs of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament. David Nwaba added 17 points and Brian Bennett -- who was a perfect 5 for 5 from the field -- had 10 for the Mustangs. Cal Poly had participated in seven Division II tournaments, finishing third in 1981. The 81 points were the Mustangs second-highest total all season. They shot 57 per cent from the field (29 of 51). Coach Mike Davis, in his second year with Texas Southern after earlier leading Indiana and UAB to the big tournament, was clearly not happy during two timeouts to try to get his team to play better on defence. Murray was the top player on the court, but that wasnt enough for the Tigers. Originally a blue-chip recruit for La Salle, he left there for West Virginia where he was dismissed from the team. In his final year of eligibility for Texas Southern, he had 28 points against Stanford, 30 against Tulsa and 48 against Temple in his return home to Philadelphia. Cal Poly dominated most of the first half to build a 12-point lead at the break and never let it go. Down by as many as 16 points early in the second half, the Tigers fought back with a 9-4 run to get the lead down to single figures. It stayed there until the Mustangs awakened. Murray had a jam and two foul shots to narrow it to 70-62 with 4:42 left before the teams traded points. Cal Poly took time off the clock until Kyle Odister missed a long 3, but Nwaba was fouled on the rebound and hit the second shot with 1:42 remaining. Texas Southern then turned it over when Rodriguez bowled over Jamal Johnson on a drive. Eversley was quickly fouled and swished both and the lead was back to 76-66 with just over a minute left as the small contingent of Mustangs fans cheered across from their teams bench. The Mustangs salted the game away at the line in the final 60 seconds. Ganging up on the Tigers Murray at every opportunity, the Mustangs pulled away midway through the opening half. Trailing 17-16 after a Murray 3 which gave him 11 points, Cal Poly took the lead for good on Bennetts slashing move to the hoop. After a Texas Southern miss, Bennett scored again on a 14-foot jumper. Those two baskets keyed a 16-7 burst for a 32-24 lead. Murray ended up 14 of 23 from the field, 3 of 5 behind the arc and a perfect 7 for 7 at the line. The Mustangs led the Big West in scoring defence, allowing 63.4 points a game while finishing last in scoring (63.2). Conversely, the Tigers led the SWAC in scoring (76.2 points) but was near the bottom in defence (73.7). Texas Southern was making its fifth NCAA trip, and fell to 0-5. Yasmani Grandal Jersey . With the Canadiens leading by one to start the third period, Price turned away 16 shots by the Panthers in the final frame to give Montreal a 2-1 victory over Florida on Monday night. The Panthers (16-21-6) outshot Montreal 16-10 in the final frame, but were repeatedly frustrated by Price, who made 26 saves on the night. Drew Pomeranz Jersey . He is nigh unstoppable against the leagues worst. The 31-year-old dangerman set up two goals and scored two himself as Toronto FC rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the slumping Houston Dynamo 4-2 on Saturday night. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/569y-eric-thames-jersey-brewers.html . According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the New York Rangers winger skated with extras and goalies today.NEWCASTLE, England -- Newcastle says it will likely be without Siem de Jong for a "number of months" after the Netherlands playmaker injured his right thigh in training with the Premier League side this week. De Jong jooined Newcastle from Ajax in the off-season and was viewed as a key member of Alan Pardews side this season. Jordan Lyles Brewers Jersey. De Jong played in Newcastles last two games after recovering from an injury in pre-season. ' ' '
MARCOUSSIS, France -- Canadian coach Francois Ratier has made five changes to his starting roster to face Samoa on Tuesday (TSN, 10:45am et/7:45am pt) at the IRB Womens Rugby World Cup. Isaiah Thomas Jersey . The Canadian women opened the 12-team tournament with a 31-5 victory over Spain last Friday. Samoa was thumped 65-3 by England in the other Pool A game. Canada will also be looking to pile up the points on the Pacific Islanders before its expected showdown with England for first place in the group. The three pool winners and the best-placed runner-up advance to the semifinals. "From their game against England we know that theyre an incredibly physical team and strong in the tackle area and we need to match them physically to be successful on Tuesday," Ratier said of Samoa in a statement. Ratier has replaced his entire front row with Marie-Pier Pinault-Reid, Mary-Jane Kirby and Olivia DeMerchant coming in for Laura Russell, Kim Donaldson and Hilary Leith. Jacey Murphy starts at blindside flanker for Barbara Mervin, who is out of the tournament after breaking a bone in her hand against Spain. There is just one change in the backs with winger Brittany Waters replacing Julianne Zussman. Resting the front row against the rough-and-tumble Samoans will preserve the trio for the crucial test against England on Saturday. And by keeping the backline mostly intact, Ratier retains his offensive weapons for the hunt for points against Samoa. Cindy Nelles has joined the squad to replace Mervin but will not dress Tuesday. "The team has a great energy right now and, other than Barbara, theres no serious injuries, so I think were ready to face Samoa on Tuesday and play a strong game," said Ratier. ---- Canada Roster against Samoa Marie-Pier Pinault-Reid, Club de Rugby Quebec, Quebec City; Mary-Jane Kirby, Highland RFC, Brampton, Ont.; Olivia DeMerchant, Woodstock Wildmen, Mapledale, N.B.; Maria Samson, Calgary Hornets, Calgary; Latoya Blackwood, St. Anne de Bellevue, Montreal; Jacey Murphy, Aurora Barbarians, Alliston, Ont.; Karen Paquin, Club de Rugby Quebec, Quebec City; Kelly Russell (capt.), Toronto Nomads, Bolton, Ont.; Stephanie Bernier, Club de Rugby Quebec, Quebec City; Quebec; Emily Belchos, Markham Irish RFC, Barrie, Ont.; Brittany Waters, Meraloma Athletic Club, Vancouver; Andrea Burk, Capilano RFC, North Vancouver; Mandy Marchak, Capilano RFC, Winnipeg; Magali Harvey, Club de Rugby Quebec, Quebec City; Elissa Alarie, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Rugby Club, Trois-Rivieres, Que. Reserves Hilary Leith, Capilano RFC, Vancouver; Laura Russell, Toronto Nomads, Bolton, Ont.; Tyson Beukeboom, Aurora Barbarians, Uxbridge, Ont.; Kayla Mack, Wild Oats RFC, Saskatoon; Julianne Zussman, Town of Mount Royal RFC, Montreal; Amanda Thornborough, Brandon Barbarians RFC, Brandon, Man.; Jessica Dovanne, Velox RFC, Victoria. Carsen Edwards Jersey . Bradley is one of eight players selected to the team who also played in this years World Cup in Brazil. The MLS all-stars will compete against German giants Bayern Munich in Portland on Aug. Tom Heinsohn Jersey .Y. -- Major League Soccer has agreed to new measures to protect gay players from discrimination and harassment as a result of meetings with New Yorks attorney general. https://www.cheapceltics.com/ .com) - Quarterback Cardale Jones will return to Ohio State next season.SAN FRANCISCO -- Ian Desmond had a career-high five RBIs and Stephen Strasburg won his third straight decision for the Washington Nationals in their 9-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. Denard Span added a triple and two doubles to help the Nationals win for the eighth time in 10 games. Desmond had three hits and Jayson Werth drove in two runs. San Francisco had its five-game winning streak snapped. Strasburg (6-4) allowed four hits over six innings and retired his final 10 hitters. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter, improving to 3-0 against the Giants with 29 strikeouts in 25 innings. Nationals starters have struck out 52 and walked one in their last seven games. Ryan Vogelsong (4-3) retired 10 of 11 batters during one stretch and pitched into the seventh. But he gave up six runs and nine hits, ending his three-game winning streak. Desmond, who owns a .373 career batting average against the Giants, also has an impressive .434 mark (23 for 53) with 51 RBIs with the bases loaded. His two-run single with the sacks full in the third gave Washington a 4-1 llead. K. C. Jones Jersey. Desmond tripled home a run in the second and added a two-run double in the seventh. Werth drove in the Nationals first run in the first inning and added an RBI single in the seventh. He also scored on an error. The Giants scored their first run in the second. Tyler Colvin doubled with one out and came home on Brandon Crawfords single. Joaquin Arias added an RBI single in the eighth. Strasburg struck out the first batter he faced in four of his six innings. He also ended three innings with a strikeout. NOTES: Nationals INF Anthony Rendon (sore right hand) was out of the starting lineup for a third straight game. Hes expected to start Tuesday. ... Giants OF Angel Pagan was out of the lineup with a bruised right shin. ... Giants RHP Santiago Casilla is expected to start a rehab assignment at Class-A San Jose on Wednesday or Thursday. ... RHP Doug Fister (4-1, 3.19 ERA) pitches Tuesday for the Nationals. Hes walked two batters in 36 2-3 innings this year. LHP Madison Bumgarner (8-3, 2.86) starts for the Giants. Hes on a six-game winning streak. ' ' '
LOS ANGELES -- Don Mattingly had enough confidence to keep Chris Withrow on the mound with one out in the eighth inning after he walked the bases loaded. NCAA Jerseys . It paid off against two of the toughest outs in the majors. Withrow struck out Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki to escape the jam and help preserve a 6-3 victory for Paul Maholm and the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night. "Obviously, you dont like to see the bases loaded with those guys coming up," Maholm said. "But youve got confidence in Chris because with the stuff he has, he can strike out anybody and get out of anything he gets himself into." Withrow, a first-round draft pick by the Dodgers in 2007, relieved Maholm with a 5-2 lead and walked the bases loaded. But Gonzalez, who has hit 15 homers against the Dodgers since the start of the 2010 season, fanned on a 1-2 pitch and Tulowitzki whiffed on a 2-2 delivery. "Thats a perfect situation for me and Tulo to change the game, but it didnt happen tonight," Gonzalez said. Adrian Gonzalez homered for the third straight game and Matt Kemp also went deep in support of Maholm (1-2). The left-hander threw 84 pitches over seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits in his fourth start with the defending NL West champions. "Everything was working," Maholm said. "I was able to throw breaking balls for strikes. I fell behind some guys, but I was confident enough in my sinker to throw it behind in the count and get some groundballs. I felt way more in rhythm today than I have in any other outing." Maholm, a veteran left-hander who signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract as a free agent in February, had lost his previous seven decisions against the Rockies and was 1-8 with a 6.63 ERA in 10 career starts against them. "I cant tell you I was the most confident person going to the mound, knowing my history against them," Maholm said. "But I havent faced them in a few years, and I think Ive changed as a pitcher since then. Besides, I wasnt pitching in Colorado, so you just go out there, try to get ahead and get groundballs." Yasiel Puig added an insurance run in the ninth with a ground-rule double, and Kenley Jansen got three outs for his ninth save after Brian Wilson walked the first two batters in the ninth -- one of whom scored on a bases-loaded groundout by Charlie Culberson. Juan Nicasio (2-1) gave up five runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings for Colorado. The Dodgers grabbed a 3-1 lead with three runs in the third, capped by Kemps towering drive to right field that barely cleared Brandon Barnes outstretched glove as he made a leaping try. Kemp initially thought he was robbed of a homer -- as did the crowd of 45,241 -- until Barnes opened his empty glove. A relieved Kemp then continued his jog around the bases with a huge grin after his second homer in 52 at-bats since the pair he hit against San Franciscos Matt Cain on April 6 at Dodger Stadium. "I thought he caught the ball. Then I saw him slam his glove on the ground and that showed me that he didnt, so I was happy about that," Kemp said. Puig added a two-out RBI single in the fourth -- the first time this season that hes driven in runs in back-to-back games after his home run and RBI single Friday night. Gonzalez led off the fifth with his 1,500th career hit, an opposite-field homer to left that gave the Dodgers a 5-2 lead. The Rockies opened the scoring in the third on Barnes two-out RBI single. Colorado got another run in the fifth on Justin Morneaus RBI single, following a double to centre by Wilin Rosario that Kemp lost in the twilight. But second baseman Gordon kept the damage to a minimum when he robbed DJ LeMahieu of a single up the middle with a diving play and started an inning-ending double play with a backhanded flip to shortstop Justin Turner. NOTES: Ramirez left the game because of a bruised right thumb. X-rays were negative. ... Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will throw another bullpen session Monday, following the 56-pitch minor league rehab start he had on Friday night with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. Mattingly would prefer one more rehab start for the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who hasnt pitched since the season opener on March 22 in Australia because of a muscle strain in his upper back. "I know our medical staff does. Im not sure if Kersh buys into that," Mattingly said. "Theres been a small debate going on, but I dont want to be a part of the debate. Well just see how his pen goes, and go from there. He felt good today. He said he felt like he didnt even pitch." ... Colorado RHP Chris Martin made his big league debut with a scoreless seventh inning, a day after the team purchased his contract from Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado extended his career-best hitting streak to 16 games with a sixth-inning single. College Jerseys . The seventh-ranked Berdych wants to focus on the ATP Tour after helping the Czechs beat the Netherlands in the first round. Seeking their third straight Davis Cup title, the Czechs will rely again on veteran Radek Stepanek. Cheap NCAA Jerseys . The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists detailed in a report how Russian and international journalists have been harassed and prevented from covering sensitive stories in Sochi such as the abuse of migrant workers and environmental issues. https://www.cheapncaajerseysjustwholesale.com/ . Gauteng High Court Judge Dunstan Mlambo ruled Tuesday that South African media houses will be allowed to install three remote controlled cameras in court for the Olympic athletes trial starting next week to capture images that likely will be seen by millions around the world.California Chrome is the 3-5 morning line favorite to become the 12th Triple Crown winner in racing history. However, the last seven odds-on Belmont Stakes favorites have failed to win and complete the magnificent feat. You can watch the Belmont Stakes on TSN this Saturday, with coverage beginning at 2:30pm et/11:30am pt. One has to go all the way back to 1978 when Affirmed held off Alydar at 3-5 to find the last odds-on betting choice to grab hold of the final leg of horse racings Triple Crown. In fact, Affirmed was the fourth straight odds-on winner following the footsteps of Seattle Slew (2-5), Bold Forbes (4-5) and Secretariat (1-9). Between the years 1958 and 1971, only one of eight odds-on betting favorites in the Belmont came home on top - Damascus (4-5) in 1967. Finally, half of the first 14 odds-on choices crossed the wire first. Overall, this type of favorite holds just 12 victories in 33 overall starts. It must be mentioned that there were two odds-on choices in 1957. Gallant Man (19-20) crossed the wire first while Bold Ruler (17-20) finished third. The bottom line is there have been only 12 winners out of 32 races since mutuels began in New York in 1940. Thats a 37.5 percent winning percentage. Moreover, of the 19 horses in line for the Triple Crown sweep, just six came home victorious. That amounts to a 33 percent winning percentage. Five of the Kentucky Derby-Preakness winners ran second in the Belmont Stakes with Real Quiet (4-5 in 1998) coming the closest, losing by a nose to Victory Gallop. The four others were Pensive (1-2 in 1944), Tim Tam (3-20 in 1958), Sunday Silence (4-5 in 1989) and Smarty Jones (2-5 in 2004). Three more finished third - Northern Dancer (4-5 in 1964), Spectacular Bid (1-5 in 1979) and Pleasant Colony (4-5 in 1981). Five finished off the board, including Big Brown (2008) - the last horse vying for the Triple Crown that ran in the Belmont (Ill Have Another in 2012 was injured and did not race in the final leg). There also is another key factor that plays against California Chrome and that is field size. The six Triple Crown winners between 1941 and 1978 won the Belmont Stakes against a combined 27 other horses, which amounts to an average of 3.5 horses per race. The 13 horses that failed to win the Triple Crown had 110 challengers, which means those colts ran against an average of 8.5 horses per race. This year, the Belmont Stakes has a field of 11, which ties for the second- most entrants behind the 1971 edition when Canonero II finished fourth at 3-5. The 1966, 1981 and 1998 renewals also had 10 other horses competing against odds-on Derby-Preakness winners Kauai King, Pleasant Colony and Real Quiet, respectively. All three of those horses lost the Belmont Stakes. California Chrome is by far the most talented member of this 3-year-old crop. He owns tremendous tactical speed, which should place him on or just off the early lead. Only Samraat and Tonalist, and to a less extent, General a Rod, have decent gate speed, so jockey Victor Espinoza will not have much of a crowd in front of him. We will see if the colt is good enough to overcome what so many have failed to accomplish over the last 36 years. THE PRETENDERS There are two horses that have no business being in the race - Matterhorn and Matuszak. The former has not won since last November while the latter hasnt won since September. Three other colts have better bodies of work than that pair but should still finish off the board. They are General a Rod, Commissioner and Samraat. General a Rod has the pedigree to be successful at the 1 1/2-mile distance, but he sure does not run like it. It is true he had a terrible trip in the Preakness, but dont look for any improvement from a horse that might not have been entered in the Belmont if his stablemate, Intense Holiday, did not come down with an injury. Commissioner showed more speed in the Peter Pan than he ever had before, but that may have occurred due to the sloppy Belmont surface that day. An argument could be made that a horse not expected to vie for the early lead could jump up and do so and this colt might be the onee. Authentic NCAA Jerseys. Either on the pace or off, dont expect the Todd Pletcher-trained 3-year-old to be around when the true running begins. Samraat ran a very good fifth in the Kentucky Derby - his second straight loss after opening with five wins in his first five outings. His breeding does not suggest he will appreciate the added distance, so it is best to side with others. INTRIGUING POSSIBILITIES Commanding Curve comes into the Belmont Stakes off a second-place finish to California Chrome in the Kentucky Derby. He is one of four horses in the field to have run in the Derby and pass the Preakness. Commanding Curve also had the easiest of trips in the first leg of the Triple Crown, unlike a few others entered in the Belmont. The son of Master Command has been training well and certainly is a horse to use in the exotics. However, he is doubtful to cross the wire first. Ride On Curlin represents the closest finisher to California Chrome considering the latter has strung together six consecutive victories. Nevertheless, the Belmont Stakes will be Ride On Curlins fourth race in the last eight weeks and that might be too much, especially on the heels of a 1 1/2-mile event. THE FINAL FOUR Filling out the final spot in the superfecta will be Tonalist. The Peter Pan winner has done nothing wrong as a 3-year-old, winning two of three starts with a second to Florida Derby winner Constitution in his only other race - an allowance event on a speed-favoring Gulfstream Park track. Three main reasons why he wont hit the board are: 1. his lack of experience (four career races), 2. he will be on the pace and will use too much energy trying to square off with California Chrome, and 3. breaking from the No. 11 post position will make for a longer trip into the first turn. Medal Count ran a very good eighth in the Kentucky Derby considering Danza cut him off approaching the eighth-pole. His momentum was completely stopped and he still finished less than two lengths from finishing fourth. The Dale Romans-trained son of Dynaformer not only should love the 12 furlongs, but he also has been working well at Churchill Downs. Finally, he has had five weeks off after racing three times in a month. That leaves California Chrome and Wicked Strong as the two most probable winners. Not surprisingly, they are the top two choices on the morning line. Wicked Strong has been working out on the Belmont training track, but he is one of only three horses in the field with a win over the main track (Samraat and Tonalist are the other two). The fourth-place Derby finisher broke poorly from the far outside post position on the first Saturday in May and was caught very wide going into the first turn. He eventually closed from 14th to a fourth-place finish at the wire. A better trip is expected on Saturday. Its been 36 years since Affirmed last won the last Triple Crown. Among the horses that have failed have been speed types (Smarty Jones, War Emblem and Sunday Silence), stalkers (Big Brown, Funny Cide, Silver Charm and Spectacular Bid), middle movers (Real Quiet and Charismatic) and closers (Pleasant Colony and Alysheba). California Chrome falls into the first category. If the pace is slow, he might be on the lead. If not, look for him to sit a couple lengths off, as he did in the first two Triple Crown races. A victory on Saturday will put to rest all the talk of having to alter either the distances or the span of time in between the three races. A loss and the discussions will ignite once again. Will he win? That is the million dollar question. Is he a good bet to cross the wire first at odds-on? History says no. THE BELMONT WAGER This will be a winning season regardless of what happens since the $50 wager on the California Chrome-Ride On Curlin exacta came through for a cool $455 return. With a mythical $100 Belmont Stakes wager, bet $35 on a Wicked Strong- California Chrome exacta and $30 the other way. In addition, bet $15 on a California Chrome-Medal Count exacta and $10 the other way. And just in case the favorite fails to fire, use Wicked Strong and Medal Count in a $5 exacta box. ' ' '
MADRID - Antoine Griezmann scored a hat trick Monday to help Real Sociedad beat Elche 4-0 in the Spanish league. Harrison Bader Jersey . The 22-year-old French midfielder put the hosts ahead in the fourth minute with a lob over goalkeeper Antonio Rodriguez that defender Damian Suarez then pushed into his own net while trying to clear the ball. Eight minutes later, Griezmann doubled his tally with a header that Rodriguez could only watch as it went past him. Carlos Vela displayed great skill when he dribbled through four defenders, chested the ball down onto his foot and unleashed a powerful shot to score the third in the 50th. Griezmann completed his hat trick with his 15th goal of the season when he pounced on Rodriguezs clearance in the 74th. Stan Musial Jersey . Jonathan Crompton led the team to a 40-9 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Crompton threw three touchdown passes - two to Duron Carter and one to Brandon London - and Sean Whyte connected on four field goals to power the Alouettes to the win. Brett Cecil Cardinals Jersey . Next week, hell try to add to the list. A Stanley Cup champion as a rookie, Seguin followed that up by becoming the youngest player to lead the Boston Bruins in scoring. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/594t-bobby-tolan-jersey-cardinals.html . -- Scottie Wilbekin sat on the bench for the final minute, holding a bag of ice against his left knee.QUEBEC CITY, Que. - Georges St-Pierre may be the king of MMA in Quebec but Patrick (The Predator) Cote is also UFC royalty in La Belle Province. The 34-year-old welterweight, in his 10th year in the UFC, will walk into the cage for the 15th time Wednesday night when he takes on Australian Kyle Noke in a battle of rival coaches from "The Ultimate Fighter Nations" reality TV show. Englands Michael Bisping, ranked No. 5 among middleweight contenders, faces No. 8 Tim Kennedy in the main event at the Colisee Pepsi. Cote, wearing a Quebec Nordiques cap, received rapturous applause at a public workout Sunday at a Quebec City mall. The five-foot-11 Cote — a native of Rimouski who now lives outside of Montreal — has remade himself into a welterweight, studying nutrition himself to ease the weight cut from 205-210 pounds to 170 pounds. Clearly comfortable in his own skin these days, he credits the people around him for easing his path. He used to work with just a trainer — now he has a team that includes a sports psychiatrist and nutritionist. "I dont do anything by myself now," he said. "I have a specialist in everything. Right now its easier for me to train. I just follow what they tell me to do." Cote (20-8 including 6-8 in the UFC) showed off his flexibility at the workout, bending a leg up like a figure skater. "I feel awesome," said Cote, who spent three weeks in Thailand during his training camp. "For this fight, I feel I have no worries. I have a free mind. Im not nervous at all. Im just going there to do my thing." For Tom Wright, managing director for UFC operations in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Cote showed his leadership skills during the six-week taping of the TV show. They already knew he was popular. "Pat was chosen because we also know he has a very strong following here ... And hes been our go-to person on broadcasts." While Cote has been in and out of the UFC as a fighter, he has been ever-present as the organizations French-language commentator. He also is an MMA and boxing analyst on the TVA network. "Not only is he comfortable at it, hes very good at it," said Wright. "He knows his stuff." A trailblazer in Canadian mixed martial arts, Cote has also proved to be a survivor. The former soldier — he served in Bosnia — started his UFC career in the deep end, bumped up a weight class and moved to the UFC 50 main event from the undercard on short notice after light-heavyweight star Tito Ortizs opponent dropped out. At the time, Cotes screensaver just happened to be a shot of Ortiz. Cote lost by decision but acquitted himself well, even wobbling Ortiz at one point — a photo of which replaced the screensaver shot of Ortiz for some time after. Cote lost his next three UFC fights, winning two more outside the organization before being shhunted into Season 4 of "The Ultimate Fighter," which featured fighters looking for a second chance. Rogers Hornsby Cardinals Jersey. The Canadian made into the final, only to lose a chance at a title shot when he was beaten by Travis Lutter. Cote went on to win his next five fights, including four in the UFC, to earn a championship bout against Anderson Silva. He took the Brazilian to the third round at UFC 90 in October 2008 before losing by TKO when he had to quit due to a knee injury. Two knee surgeries followed and Cote did not fight again until May 2010. Back-to-back losses and he was dumped from the UFC again. Cote won four straight outside the UFC to earn his ticket back. He lost a decision to Cung Le but has won his last two outings, dropping down to welterweight last time out in March 2013 to beat Bobby Voelker at UFC 158. Preparation for and taping of the TUF Nations show kept both Cote and Noke on the sidelines. Cote has not fought since Voelker while Noke, who also had to overcome shoulder surgery and a hand issue, has been idle since a November 2012 win over Charlie (The Spaniard) Brenneman. The Brenneman bout was the six-foot-two Nokes first at welterweight. Cote and Noke (20-6-1 including 4-2 in the UFC) were the picture of professionalism during the taping, with no drama between the two. "We understood the superstars of the show were the fighters," said Cote. "We both went into the show with the same mentality of it was more about the fighters than us," echoed Noke, who was a cast member on Season 11 of the show. Cote saw four of his fighters advance to the two finals, meaning that the first Canadian TUF winners will be crowned Wednesday. The Aussies didnt have it easy, however. They had to compete in hostile territory in Canada and had to hit the ground running with no time afforded to recover from jet lag. Noke, 34, is still in Cotes backyard but has no complaints. "A fights a fight, doesnt matter where it is," he said philosophically. Nokes resume famously includes a stint as a security officer for the late Steve Irwin, known as the "Crocodile Hunter." "That was a great experience for me," said the native of Australias Sunshine Coast who now fights out of Albuquerque, N.M. "Something I still look back on now and cant really believe I did. Steve was a great guy, he was a great inspiration to be around "I think he really helped me as well in my fighting. The passion that he showed for everything, he just brought that out around people ... He was a great person, a great motivator for me. Theres no doubt I wouldnt be where I am today if it wasnt for Steve." Away from the cage and the studio, Cote is involved in real estate investments and Kore Fit Living, a sports equipment and nutrition company. During the summer, he likes to spend time on the golf course and on his boat. ' ' '
NAPLES, Italy -- Andy Murray is expected to recover from illness to face Andreas Seppi on the opening day of Britains Davis Cup quarter-final against Italy. NCAA Jerseys . Murray was confined to his hotel room with a stomach bug during the draw on Thursday but the Wimbledon champion is likely to line up against Seppi in Fridays second singles match, when he will be looking for his sixth consecutive win against the Italian. James Ward will start Britains bid to reach the Davis Cup semifinals for the first time since 1981 with a daunting test against Italian No. 1 Fabio Fognini in the opening match. "Andys got some sort of virus which has made him feel pretty poorly over the last 24 hours in particular," Britain captain Leon Smith said. "It is important to give him a lot of rest and recovery. Thats why he didnt attend the draw, to spend time with the doctor and stay at the hotel away from the rest of the group. "Hopefully he can be fit and play a big part in the weekend, which Im sure he will. Hes a fighter and obviously desperate to play so looks like he will be OK." Despite his illness, Murray will still be the favourite against Seppi, who -- at no. 34 -- is ranked 26 places below the two-time Grand Slam champion. "Its going to be a very difficult match," Seppi said. "Hes a great player. The last matches I played against him, I always lost so I have to do better. I have to try and play my best game, very aggressive and hopefully I can beat him." Italy will be relying heavily on Fogninis fine form as it attempts to reach the final four for the first time since 1998. The charismatic Fognini is currently at a career-high ranking of No. 13, after winning three singles titles on clay within the past nine months. He said he has fully shaken off a left leg injury he picked up in the quarterfinal defeat to Rafael Nadal in Miami. "I feel great," said Fognini. "I was a little bit tired, felt some pain in the legs, but now I feel much better. I have had more than one week to recover and hopefully Friday is going to go the right way Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins are set to face Simone Bolelli and Paolo Lorenzi in Saturdays doubles. College Jerseys .Y. -- The Buffalo Bills will head into the regular season short on experience at quarterback after trimming the roster on Friday. NCAA Jerseys For Sale . The midfielder had an operation on Saturday, and is set to miss seven Premier League games, the third round of the FA Cup and the semifinals of the League Cup. https://www.cheapncaajerseysjustwholesale.com/ . Al Horford said all he had to do was make the catch near the basket and then shoot a soft jumper.LONDON -- Roger Federer had never lost his opening match at the ATP World Tour Finals since the elite tournament moved to London in 2009. Until now, that is. On the back of a chaotic and disappointing season, the former World No. 1 was beaten on Tuesday for the second time in less than a week by defending champion Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-2. The Serb extended his winning streak to 18 matches after capturing his sixth title of the season last week in Paris, where he defeated Federer in the semifinal. Djokovic kept alive his chances of overtaking Rafael Nadal in the race for the year-end No. 1 spot. "It was a big challenge physically," Djokovic said. "Only 48 hours ago I was playing in Paris, so to be able to play this well and beat Roger is incredible. "I have to enjoy the win and then think about the recovery because its a big win. The good thing is, there is a day off. Im going to try and recharge my batteries mentally and physically and get ready for (Juan Martin) Del Potro." Djokovic is attempting to finish No. 1 for the third year in a row but Nadal, who eased past David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, needs only a win against Stanislas Wawrinka on Wednesday to be guaranteed the top spot. This 31st encounter between Federer and Djokovic -- a remake of last years final -- produced a somewhat disjointed match laced with unforced errors and flashes of brilliant tennis leaving both players looking exhausted toward the end of the match. "Again, I was able to recover from all those matches and actually felt physically somewhat fine," said Federer, who won his last Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2012 and has only two victories against top-10 opponents in 2013. "So I regret not having taken my chances better maybe." Federer, the oldest man in the draw at 32, refused to draw early conclusions from a season in which he had back problems and dropped to seventh in the rankings. "The season is not done yet," he said. "Lets talk about this stuff in hopefully four matches." Federer and Djokovic neutralized themselves until the ninth game when the Serb was down 15-30. A double fault gave Federer his first break point, but he sent a forehand wide on the next point. Djokovic then took the next two points to hold his serve. The Serb earned two break points in the next game with a superb backhand return. The cheering from the legion of Swiss supporters packed in the stands didnt help Federer as he fluffed a forehand to lose the set. After rallying from 0-40 to break Djokovic for a 3-2 lead in the second set, Federer dropped his serve in the next game. College Football Jerseys. He double-faulted after Djokovic earned a break point with a backhand that hit the net cord before going over. Serving for the set at 5-4, Federer made another unforced error on his usually reliable forehand to squander a set point. Djokovic seized his chance, sending Federer in the ropes with a stretched crosscourt winner before levelling at 5-5. Federer smashed a ball toward the scoreboard hanging over the court in frustration. Federer kicked back into life in the tiebreak, winning the last five points with a string of beautiful shots that included a backhand volley, a crosscourt winner, and a perfect lob that Djokovic failed to return. Djokovic looked unfazed at the start of the third set to break Federer at love. He then saved a break point to consolidate his lead before taking Federers serve again after a long rally for a 4-1 lead. He sealed the match on his first chance. Despite his easy win, playing indoors will never be ideal for Nadal. The Spaniard has won all four Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympic title in his career but has never triumphed at the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals. "I like the sunshine," Nadal said when asked about the difference between playing indoors and outdoors. "The feeling on the ball, on your racket, is different" when playing indoors, Nadal said. "All of these small things that make you feel a little bit strange." The conditions didnt seem to bother him Tuesday as he beat fellow Spaniard Ferrer 6-3, 6-2 on the indoor court at Londons O2 arena. "Im happy. The court is in perfect condition here," Nadal said. "Its a good start for me, positive one." Nadal came close to winning the event in 2010 when he lost in the final to Federer. He didnt play last year because of a knee injury that kept him away for seven months before his successful comeback in February. The 13-time Grand Slam champion traded early breaks with Ferrer and then began dictating play from the baseline, forcing Ferrer into errors. Nadal converted six of seven break points, and Ferrer had 33 unforced errors. "He arrived a little bit tired after playing the final (in Paris)," Nadal said. "I played with a little more calm than the other day (against him)." Nadal earned his 21st win in 26 matches against Ferrer, but only his first indoors. Nadal and Ferrer play in Group A, along with Stanislas Wawrinka, who beat Tomas Berdych in his opening match on Monday. Djokovic and Federer are in Group B with Juan Martin del Potro and Richard Gasquet. ' ' '
Portland, OR - Obafemi Martins scored on either side of the intermission and added an assist on Sunday as Seattle Sounders FC eased past the Portland Timbers, 4-2, in the latest edition of the Cascadia Cup at Providence Park. NHL Jerseys . Widely regarded as Major League Soccers most heated rivalry, the match was physical from the outset and the Sounders opened the scoring through Martins in the 18th minute. U.S. captain Clint Dempsey added the second goal in the 34th minute, Chad Barrett made it 3-0 20 minutes from time and Martins capped the rout with a spectacular individual effort in the 76th as the Sounders jumped back to the top of the West and the Supporters Shield standings with 45 points. Portland picked up a consolation brace by Fanendo Adi, who netted in the 73rd and 90th minutes, but is winless in three of its last four league matches and has claimed three points on home soil just three times this campaign. The Timbers remain on the outside of the playoff picture in sixth place in the West with 31 points. The visiting side opened the scoring on 18 minutes when Brad Evans sent a low cutting ball across the face of goal from the right flank and Martins smashed it home at the far post. Dempsey then made it 2-0 in the 34th on the counter-attack following a Timbers corner kick. Martins collected the ball deep in his own half and set sail down the right wing. Dempsey then made a 70-yard run down the center of the field and got on the end of a perfectly-weighted pass from Martins before he rolled it home. It was 3-0 for Seattle in the 70th minute as Barrett had a rip from the left side of the box that goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts got a hand to, but he couldnt keep it out. Portland gave itself some hope just three minutes later as Adi got on the end of a cross from Rodney Wallace, but that hope was extinguished by Martins three minutes later in spectacular fashion. Martins, the Nigeria international, collected the ball on the left side of the box, cut to the inside and beat four Timbers defenders before lifting it over the arm of Ricketts for his second goal of the day. Adi completed his double in stoppage time for Portland, but it didnt matter as Seattle escaped the Rose City with all three points. NHL Jerseys 2020 . A police inspector told The Associated Press the crane operator is not yet suspected of any wrongdoing but is considered a key witness to the accident at the Arena Corinthians. Authentic NHL Jerseys .com) - Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will sit out Thursdays game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with left knee soreness. https://www.cheapnhljerseysjustwholesale.com/ .C. -- North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried said his team had a "golden" opportunity to help its NCAA tournament chances.OKLAHOMA CITY - If the Toronto Raptors can play at home the way theyve been playing on the road, they might just remain atop the Atlantic Division for a while. Kyle Lowry scored 22 points, making a pair of clinching free throws with 9.8 seconds left, and the Raptors handed the Oklahoma City Thunder their first home loss with a 104-98 victory on Sunday night. The Raptors outscored Oklahoma City 6-0 in the final 1:25, all on free throws, and ended the Thunders nine-game winning streak. Oklahoma City had been 13-0 at home, the NBAs longest unbeaten stretch to open a season since the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first 23 home games during the 2007-08 season. Amir Johnson had 17 points and 13 assists for Toronto, which won its fourth straight road game, its longest such streak since March-April 2002. Oklahoma City lost for the first time since Dec. 4 at Portland. Toronto coach Dwane Casey called the win, which moved the Raptors past Boston into first place in the Atlantic, his teams biggest of the season. Torontos road streak began with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 8 and the Raptors added wins at Chicago and Dallas before beating the Thunder. "Its one of those mysteries we have, of our focus on the road," Casey said. "Were a different team. I see it in our eyes before the game." Russell Westbrook scored 27 points and Kevin Durant added 24 for Oklahoma City, which missed its final four shots. Veteran forward John Salmons, who scored 14 points and hit the go-ahead free throws for Toronto, said winning on the road "just shows our mental toughness as a unit. . Sometimes its fun to play on the road, because its just us against everybody else." Toronto will play at San Antonio on Monday. Oklahoma City surged ahead with a 24-4 run during the third quarter that gave the Thunder an 82-71 lead. Toronto regained the lead in the fourth before a 3-pointer by Durant tied the game, but Salmons hit two free throws with 1:25 left to put Toronto up 100-98. The Thunders next two possessions ended in a missed 3-point attempt by Reggie Jackson and a block by Valanciunas on a layup attempt by Westbrook, with Toronto winning the scramble for the loose ball. Johnson hit two free throws with 14.5 seconds left to exxtend Torontos lead to 102-98. NHL Jerseys China. Durant missed a 3-point attempt and Lowry rebounded before hitting the Raptors final two free throws. "Its the NBA," Casey said. "It happens. Theyre one of the best defensive teams in the league. We knew they were going to come out in the third quarter with their best effort, which they did. We sustained it and took the punch." Oklahoma City, which entered the game second in the NBA in free throw shooting at 81.8 per cent, went 35 of 36 (97.2 per cent). But the Thunder shot 37 per cent from the field and scored a season-low 14 points in the fourth quarter. Durant finished 5 of 16 from the field and committed six of the Thunders 19 turnovers. "Losses happen in this league," Durant said. "They beat us fair and square, you know? We missed some shots, too. I think our defence was good. They got some shots late in the fourth quarter that helped them a little bit but I think our defence was good. We were swarming them and they hit some tough ones, too, but we missed some good looks." The Thunder, who have won 17 of their last 19 games, were coming off a win at San Antonio on Saturday night. Asked if the Thunder lacked energy down the stretch, Durant answered, "Nah." Toronto went 7 of 14 from 3-point range and scored on its final nine possessions of the first half, turning a five-point deficit into a 62-56 halftime lead. The 62 points were the second-most surrendered in the first half this season by Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City clamped down on defence in the third quarter, allowing the Raptors only 13 points, matching their season low for a quarter. DeMar DeRozan added 17 points for Toronto and Valanciunas had 13. Notes: Durant was called for a technical foul, his third of the season, while on the bench in the second quarter. Durant protested after a scramble for a loose ball between Oklahoma Citys Nick Collison and Torontos Valanciunas. Ironically, Valanciunas was called for a personal foul on the play that Durant protested . Toronto is 7-6 on the road. Its been since Feb. 25, 2008, that the Raptors have been above .500 on the road this late in the season . Thunder C Steven Adams picked up three fouls during a two-minute stint in the first quarter. ' ' '
(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees hope to continue their home mastery of the Texas Rangers this evening when the two clubs continue their three-game set from Yankee Stadium. Brian Dozier Nationals Jersey . Catch all the action live on TSN2 at 7pm et/4pm pt. New York won the opener of this series in thrilling fashion on Tuesday, as Ichiro Suzuki hit a solo homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Yankees to a 4-3 triumph. Tanner Scheppers (5-1), who pitched a scoreless eighth, stayed on to pitch the ninth. After Brett Gardner was caught stealing for the second out, Suzuki smacked a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right. "Its a great win for us," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Coming off an off day and being able to beat a pretty great pitcher. I think its a pretty big win." Gardner, Jayson Nix and Travis Hafner also hit solo homers for the Yankees, who have won three of four overall and beat the Rangers for the 16th time in their last 21 meetings in the Bronx. New York starter Hiroki Kuroda allowed three runs -- two earned -- on five hits while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings. Mariano Rivera (1-1) tossed a scoreless ninth to pick up the win. Leonys Martin hit a pair of solo homers for the Rangers, who had a five-game winning streak stopped. Mitch Moreland added an RBI. Texas starter Yu Darvish gave up three runs on seven hits while striking out six over 5 1/3 innings. "They swung the bat to beat us," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "You hate to loss a ball game. They beat us with four swings of the bat, four solo home runs." On Wednesday New York will rely on veteran left-hander Andy Pettitte, who has lost his last two starts since earning career win No. 250. Pettitte lost to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, as he was hit for five runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings to fall to 5-5 to go along with a 4.20 ERA. "I just need to be better," Pettitte said afterward. "I need to shut these guys down once in a while and give us a chance to score first one time instead of always being in a hole. And I feel like Im putting us in a hole every time out right now." Pettitte has faced the Rangers 23 times and is 11-9 against them with a 5.24 ERA. Texas, meanwhile, will counter with righty Justin Grimm, who is 6-5 with a 6.57 ERA. Grimm beat the Oakland Athletics last Wednesday, holding them to three runs and three hits in five innings. Grimm, who has never faced the Yankees, could be in some trouble on Wednesday, as he has pitched to a 7.01 ERA in seven road starts. Ryan Zimmerman Nationals Jersey . - Free agent defensive end Will Smith has signed with the New England Patriots. Frank Robinson Jersey . Napoli hit two home runs, Jonny Gomes and prized rookie Xander Bogaerts also connected, and the Red Sox kept up their dizzying scoring spree at Yankee Stadium by bashing New York 13-9 Saturday for a fifth straight win. https://www.cheapnationals.com/ .com) - The Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics both entered Wednesday nights game riding lengthy losing streaks.TORONTO -- Tim Hortons will remain as the title sponsor of two of the biggest curling events in Canada. The popular restaurant chain has extended its sponsorship agreement with the Canadian Curling Association through 2018. Tim Hortons has served as title sponsor of the Canadian mens curling championship and the Roar of the Rings — the Canadian Olympic trials — since 2005. "Were thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to work with Tim Hortons as they continue sponsoring two of our most significant CCA Season of Champions eventss," CCA chief executive officer Greg Stremlaw said Wednesday in a statement. Asdrubal Cabrera Nationals Jersey. "Their commitment to the sport of curling is gratifying, and its particularly exciting to see that they are working at the grassroots level of the game to continue building our sport." The extension will take effect with the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, and will include the Olympic trials in 2017 that will determine Canadas representatives for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. ' ' '
SAUCIER, Miss. Offcial Jerseys . - Jeff Maggert admitted his decisive putt on No. 17 at Fallen Oak wasnt supposed to be one that actually dropped. He was just trying to get it close. So when the 50-foot putt rolled up and down a big ridge as it broke from left to right — and then fell into the hole — the Champions Tour rookie was as surprised as anyone. He had been consistent all week. Now just a little bit of luck had pushed him to victory at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic at Fallen Oak on Sunday. "You cant count on those going in very often," Maggert said with a grin. Maggert became the 17th player in Champions Tour history to win in his debut, shooting a 4-under 68 to capture his first victory since the 2006 St. Judes Classic on the PGA Tour. The 50-year-old fell into a tie for the lead with Billy Andrade after making bogey on No. 16, but responded with the astonishing putt that pushed him back ahead. "I was just trying to hit an easy lag putt," Maggert said. "I wanted an easy tap-in for par and it was just one of those things — the ball found the hole." When it dropped, Maggert shook his head in disbelief. He finished the tournament with an 11-under 205. Maggert is a three-time PGA Tour winner who turned 50 in February. His consistent weekend included a 68 on Friday, a 69 on Saturday and he capped his debut performance at Fallen Oak with four birdies on the back nine on Sunday to earn the $240,000 paycheque. "I had expectations to play well, but I didnt know if I would play well enough to win," Maggert said. "Id been struggling a little with my game, but everything just kind of came together. It was one of the best tournaments, as far as ball striking, that Ive had in a few years in any event. That really carried me through." Andrade, who started the day tied with Fred Funk for the lead, shot a 71 to finish in second two strokes back. Andrade and Funk started the final round on top of a tight leaderboard, with a one-stroke lead over Fred Couples, Jay Haas and Maggert. The round was pushed back two hours because of rain, but the slightly soggy course didnt affect scoring much. Funk fell off the pace quickly, finishing with a 75. Haas was steady, but could never get on a roll and shot a 71 to finish tied for third with Bernhard Langer, who jumped up the leaderboard with a 68. Couples — who won the Toshiba Classic last week — faded after shooting a 66 to take a two-stroke lead in the opening round. He shot a 72 on Sunday to finish fifth. That left Andrade as Maggerts biggest challenger. The 50-year-old was playing in just his fourth Champions Tour event and had the lead at the turn, but made three bogeys on the back nine to fall out of contention. Andrade hasnt played much the past four years while working part-time as an analyst for The Golf Channel. He said Sundays back nine was frustrating, but that the weekend had shown him "that I still do have a little talent and I can play with these guys." "I havent been in this type of situation in a long time," Andrade said. "Its probably going to take me a little while to get the rust off when it comes to nerves and being in the hunt." College Jerseys . Nick Holden scored two goals and had an assist and the Avalanche held off the Nashville Predators 5-4 Saturday night for their fourth straight victory. NBA Jerseys . -- The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed cornerback Perrish Cox to a one-year contract. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/ . -- Mississippi State was crushed twice by Florida last season, once by 35 points and the other by 25.TORONTO – Randy Carlyle quietly called out his top line on Saturday morning and hardly anyone noticed. “We need our big guys to get going,” he said. “We have to have those guys going.” But unlike last season, this year’s version of the Maple Leafs hasn’t been solely dependent on Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk for offence and thus, success. They’ve gotten by just fine through the top unit’s dry spells, finding unlikely offence from sources like Leo Komarov, Mike Santorelli, David Clarkson and even the recently benched, Richard Panik. The Leafs had 10 different goal-scorers during the last four games alone, including five sources in a 6-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. “That’s huge,” van Riemsdyk said afterward. “You see all the teams that have success in the playoffs and make the playoffs, they’re teams that get contributions up and down their lineup. From lines one through four, we’ve got guys putting the puck in the net and that’s huge.” Simply put, a deeper and more balanced lineup has predictably been only a positive for the group in Toronto. They are currently the third-highest scoring team in hockey despite missing Joffrey Lupul for 12 games – he finished third on the team with 22 goals last season – and receiving less production from Nazem Kadri, who also had 20 goals and 50 points a year ago. In fact, the club has 13 players on pace for double-digit goal totals – 13 with at least three goals through 23 games – a dramatic reversal from last season when the club was mostly top line or bust with only seven players reaching double-figures all season. That group struggled mightily to score consistently when Kessel and company didn’t produce, especially down the stretch of another failed playoff drive. The Leafs are a deeper team this year, however, having dismissed scantly productive players like Jay McClement, Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren in favour of more skillful types like Santorelli, Panik and Peter Holland. Komarov and Santorelli have been the two biggest unexpected sources of offence. The two have teamed together all season, combining for seven goals and 29 points. “I don’t think you could say that Komarov and Santorelli were going to be our two checking wingers, but they were put together in that type of a role and they started to flourish offensively and that’s what the team needs,” Carlyle said. “You need a contribution from everybody.” Komarov, who left Saturday’s game after a hit from behind by Alex Ovechkin (more on that below), is easily the largest surprise. He mustered only four goals and nine points during his first NHL trial in 2013, busting through those marks in very short order this season. He sits second behind only Kessel with 13 even-strength points this season. Shooting better than 18 per cent, Clarkson too has come through with some offence, smashing last year’s paltry mark with seven goals already this season. Beyond the forwards is a defensive contingent that’s producing at an increased pace. Adding a goal each from Cody Franson and Morgan Rielly versus Washington, the Toronto blue line is now on pace for 43 goals and 185 points after totaling 35 and 159 last season. “Our team’s better when everyone’s going,” Bozak said after scoring twice, his 11 goals matching Kessel for the team lead. “There’s lots of nights where we don’t play very well and guys step up and score big goals and then there’s nights where we do play well. There’s always a line or two lines that step up at the right time.” Five Points 1. Top Line Beyond Bozak, who had scored in each of the previous two games, Carlyle wasn’t pleased with the performance of his top unit coming into Saturday’s game and he made sure to point it out before the game. “I just think they have to work as three guys,” he said Friday. “There’s got to be more support on the puck; [they’ve] got to be harder to play against; [they] can’t be one and out and [they need to] play with structure in the neutral ice – they’ll get a lot more pucks back [that way].” Kessel came into the night with only a single assist in the previous four games (and no goals), but he notched two alone on Saturday, including a deft find to Bozak on Toronto’s fifth goal. Van Riemsdyk came in point-less in three of the previous four, but he, too, dished off a pair of helpers, including the set-up on Bozak’s first of the game. “We know if we pick it up as a line that just adds a little more to our team,” said Kessel beforehand. Part of their recent struggles were directly tied to a power play that had just one goal in the previous six games. The Leafs scored three though with the man advantage on this night. “It was nice to see that our power play finally came to life and created some offence in the hockey game for us,” Carlyle said. 2. Bozak on the Power Play On pace for the best season of his NHL career, Bozak is up to 11 goals this year. The 28-year-old has scored six of those on the power play – tied for second-most in the NHL – quietly operating in the middle of the ice on Torontos first unit. He tapped in his second of the game from there on a pass from Kessel. “I just try to find soft spots in the middle of the ice,” he said. “Obviously when you’ve got guys out there like James, Phil, Naz, and Dion, a lot of attention is going to be on them, so I just try and slip under the radar and get to spots where guys aren’t.” “We’ve got so much familiarity with each other,” added van Riemsdyk. “We know where to go when the puck is in certain positions and it’s almost like second nature. It’s a bang-bang play. He made a great read, Phil made a great pass and that’s what we get when we spread the puck around.” Bozak leads the Leafs with nine power-play points. 3. Home-Ice Advantage? Saturday marked the first of five straight at the ACC for the Leafs, who now own an 8-6-0 record in Toronto this season. “We always want to make sure that our home record is one that gives us an opportunity to take a run at making the playoffs,” Carlyle said before the game. “Home-ice advantage is something we haven’t really developed yet. We’ve played better here as of lately, but we’re striving for excellence as everybody does at home. Nike Jerseys. ” But what advantage, if any, can a team gain from playing at home in hockey? In baseball and football, the benefits are obvious given the different dimensions and conditions of various fields, but how in hockey does a team ascertain added value when the rink is (more or less) the same across the league? Trevor Smith says it comes down to routine. “You sleep in your own bed,” he said. “You’re at home, you’re in your home city. You know what you’re going to get for your pre-game meal, all the preparation [beforehand] you know exactly what’s about to happen. You’re prepared mentally that way being at home, knowing what time to get to the rink. You’re in your home dressing room, it’s easy.” That routine, Smith says, changes only slightly on the road, but enough to force changes in habit. The morning skate, for example, is an hour later – 11:30am – on the road meaning the pre-game meal is just a tad later. And then there’s the matter of the bus. Because each hotel is a different distance to the rink – some are just across the street, some are as far as 30 minutes away – departure times can be just a tad different; as early as 4:15 p.m. and as late as 4:45 p.m. These sound like small matters, and they are, but they nonetheless require those all-important routines to stray slightly. “Routine during the season is huge,” Smith says. “Sometimes I feel like the first month of the summer, I’m lost. You don’t know what to do.” “You feel comfortable,” Carlyle added of the benefit of playing at home. “You’ve got the enthusiasm in the building. You feel comfortable in your own building. You feel that you’re never out of it in your own building. You’re always pushing the pace in your building. Your fans are your sixth player on the ice.” 4. Complete Game It was a conversation between two former London Knights early this season. Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan told Nazem Kadri that he wanted the 24-year-old to evolve into a more complete player and not just a “one-dimensional player”. “That’s something he wants me to do and that’s something I want for myself [and] I’ve wanted all along,” said Kadri, who noted Shanahan’s appreciation for his style of play. “I know my offence is going to be there. I know those goals are going to come, those assists are going to come, but it’s a matter of putting everything else together and still playing the right way when you’re not getting the greatest puck luck.” Kadri played his 200th-NHL game Saturday against the Capitals, setting up Clarkson on the Leafs fourth goal. Only recently turned 24, he’s taken incremental steps toward becoming a more complete player in what is only his third full NHL season. Amongst the worst in the league last season, he’s improved in the face-off circle – though he struggled badly on Saturday – and is making an effort toward becoming a more effective player in the defensive zone. “By all means, do I not have it figured out right now,” he said. “I’ve still got lots of learning to do and I’m doing the best I can every single day, whether it’s watching film or just practicing out there. It’s something that’s going to take some time, but for sure I feel like I’ve been way better in my own end, my face-offs have been a lot better. I think along with all that comes more ice-time, comes more responsibility, so all that stuff I’m just trying to earn.” 5. Fourth Forward Kadri was back on Toronto’s power-play unit against Washington after being removed just a few nights earlier in Pittsburgh. But rather than occupy his customary spot on the second unit, the Leafs opted to employ him on the point of the first grouping. That put him on the ice with Kessel, van Riemsdyk, Bozak and Dion Phaneuf. “The mindset with this is that we have possibly our top five offensive players on the ice,” said Carlyle. It’s an idea hatched by Steve Spott, who runs the Leafs power play and has used the four-forward look in the past while steering both the Marlies and Kitchener Rangers. The approach is designed to put a threat on both sides of the ice – Kessel on the left half-wall, Kadri on the right point. Kadri hadn’t played the point on the man advantage since his days with the Knights in junior and it showed early against the Capitals. His pass attempt to Phaneuf was nearly picked off on his very first power-play opportunity. Later, he stumbled and nearly toppled over, but generally Carlyle seemed to like the look – though he strayed from it in the final period. “What it did is we worked both sides of the ice with him [out there] and we spread them out,” said Carlyle. “Other than the one blip skating backwards when he almost fell down, I thought he did okay.” The Leaf power play, which was 1-23 in the previous six games, finished 3-4 against Washington. Injury Update Unsuspecting in the offensive zone, Komarov was clipped by the right elbow of Ovechkin in the third frame. “I thought it was kind of ‘Oops, I hit you on purpose,” said Carlyle of the hit. Komarov remained on the bench briefly before exiting for the dressing room. The 27-year-old didn’t “feel good” after the hit, but had improved after the game and underwent league protocol consistent with concussions. There was no further update on his status afterward. Stats-Pack 9-0-0 – Leafs record when scoring first. 13 – Number of Leafs with at least three goals. 6 – Power-play goals for Tyler Bozak, tied for second in the NHL. 3.30 – Goals per game for Toronto, third-best in the league. Special Teams Capsule PP: 3-4 Season: 21.2% PK: 2-3 Season: 83.5% Quote of the Night “Maybe we should go buy the [Lotto] 649 tonight and get 23, 23, 23, because it’s worth $25 million. I won’t be here Monday, then.” -Randy Carlyle, on the odd series of 23’s on a night where Pat Quinn, who wore 23 as a Leaf, was recognized in a pre-game ceremony. Cody Franson scored with 23 seconds left in the first. Tyler Bozak scored 23 seconds into the second. David Clarkson scored 23 seconds after Washington scored their first goal. And the Leafs, well, they finished with 23 shots on goal. Up Next The Leafs host Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. ' ' '
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