PHOENIX -- Tony La Russa has never missed the managing part of baseball since retiring in 2011. He did miss the competition and, most particularly, the winning. Thats what drew him back to the big leagues. Bolstering their front office, the Arizona Diamondbacks hired La Russa as their chief baseball officer on Saturday, hoping the Hall of Fame manager can help turn around the team after one of the worst starts in franchise history. "Its the first day I woke up and I felt a difference," La Russa said. "Because for the first time since then youre back with an organization and at the end of the day youre going to be judged by how well your contribution is to the organizations competition. Thats how I grew up." La Russa last worked as a manager in 2011, walking away after leading the St. Louis Cardinals to their second World Series title with him at the helm. He spent time working for Major League Baseball as a special assistant to Commissioner Bud Selig and was itching to get back into baseball on a day-to-day basis, appearing at Diamondbacks games a few times the past few weeks. La Russa will report to Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall and oversee the entire baseball operations department. He will work with general manager Kevin Towers and manager Kirk Gibson in shaping the future of the Diamondbacks, who were 16-28 heading into Saturday nights game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. "It is going to take time, but I think having him here and helping us lead this department, it looks good for us," Hall said. "Any decisions that are going to be made personnel wise, hes going to have final say." La Russa won three World Series titles and six league championships and was a four-time manager of the year in 33 seasons before retiring in 2011. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in July and is third with 2,728 wins as a manager and second with 70 post-season wins. La Russa played parts of six seasons in the majors before starting a managerial career that began in 1979 with the Chicago White Sox and took him to Oakland and St. Louis, where he won World Series rings in 2006 and 2011. He also won a title with the As in 1989, joining Sparky Anderson as the only two managers to win World Series in both leagues. "I understand the levels of decision making," La Russa said. "And all Im saying here is that you include everybody in the process. But I think the advantage that we hope to have is that everybody on the competitive side is working from the same thought philosophy." Vapormax 2019 Discount . Hemsky left the Oilers Tuesday night loss to the Dallas Stars in the second period and did not return. Through 48 games this season, Hemsky has seven goals and a total of 24 points. Wholesale Nike Air Max China . Huntelaar also had a penalty saved by Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio. The two goals brought Huntelaars total for the season to 18, level with Bayern Munichs Mario Gomez for most in the league. http://www.brandshoescheaponline.com/wholesale-air-force-1-china.html . Now comes an off-season of questions about manager Matt Williams decisions and a handful of key roster choices, including what to do about Ryan Zimmerman, whether to sign Jordan Zimmermann and Ian Desmond to long-term deals, and how to upgrade an offence that fell flat in October. Nike Vapormax 97 Sale . -- What Anthony Jennings lacked in experience, LSU more than compensated for with a talented supporting cast in the Outback Bowl. Cheap Adidas Ultra Boost China .com) - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were among the third-round winners Friday at the French Open.The Buffalo Sabres have locked up Luke Adam for another year. The team announced Sunday that they have signed Adam to a one-year, two-way contract. Adam, 24, saw 12 games with the Sabres in 2013-14, registering one goal. He scored a team-leading 29 goals and added 20 assists in 59 games with the American Hockey Leagues Rochester Americans.dddddddddddd Originally selected in the second round (44th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Adam has appeared in 87 career games with the Sabres, scoring 15 goals and 11 assists. ' ' '

NASHVILLE -- The Nashville Predators wanted experience and a proven winner as their new head coach, and general manager David Poile believes thats what they got in hiring Peter Laviolette -- just the second coach in the franchises history. Laviolette has won nine of the 14 post-season series he has coached with the Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers. He also won the Stanley Cup in 2006 with Carolina and coached the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals in 2010. The Predators announced Tuesday they signed him to a multi-year contract. "Weve taken a big leap in the right direction getting our team back on the path, and that path is toward the playoffs," Poile said at a news conference. The Predators reached the Western Conference semifinals in 2011 and 2012 but missed the playoffs the past two seasons. Laviolette will take over in Nashville once he finishes coaching the United States at the 2014 World Championship. He said in a statement he loves the Predators nucleus starting with defenceman Shea Weber and goaltender Pekka Rinne. "My challenge will be to impart a system that enables our young forwards to thrive and reach their offensive potential," Laviolette said. "Being a perennial Stanley Cup contender requires buy-in, passion and commitment from every player on the roster. I cant wait to get to Nashville and get started on our journey." Poile said hes known Laviolette for years through USA Hockey. Also general manager of the 2014 U.S. Olympic team, Poile named Laviolette one of that teams three coaches. He also interviewed Laviolette for the Predators job along with a couple others he did not name originally planning to hire his new coach in June. Openings in Florida, Carolina, Washington and Vancouver prompted Poile to move quicker to avoid losing Laviolette. Poile said he was very comfortable hiring Laviolette. "Basically in some form, I was interviewing him all year long," Poile said. Laviolette has been a head coach over 12 seasons starting with the New York Islanders between 2001 and 2003, Carolina from 2003-09 and Philadelphia from 2009 until October. He has 389 wins and 866 career points and six playoff berths, winning nine series. He helped the Islanders end a seven-year post-season drought with back-to-back berths in 2002 and 2003, and the Flyers lost the cup to Chicago in six games in 2010. Laviolette is considered an offensive-minded coach with his teams finishing in the Top 10 in six of his eight full seasons and not lower than 13th in goals scored. That helps fill a major need for the Predators who scored only 216 goals this season when they finished three points out of the final Western Conference playoff berth. Poile said he wanted a coach with a different style of play, and Laviolettes teams play more up-tempo and are more offensive oriented. Thats what Poile wants out of the Predators. The general manager said theyve been working to improve their forwards, including trading Martin Erat in March 2013 for Filip Forsberg and David Legwand to Detroit this March for Calle Jarnkrok. Forward also is likely to be the position the Predators draft with the 11th pick overall in June. Young forwards already on the roster will get a second chance with Laviolette. Mix that with what Poile believes is one of the best defences in the NHL, and he expects the Predators to be back in the playoffs next year. "With his system and different ideas if you will, I think offensively we have a chance to be a lot better under his leadership," Poile said. Forward Matt Cullen helped Laviolette win the Stanley Cup in Carolina and is looking forward to playing for him again. "Hes a great fit for our team and what we need going forward," Cullen said on a conference call. "And I just think a lot of Peter as a coach. Hes a good person, and he just has that real ability to bring out the best in all of his players." The Predators also hired Kevin McCarthy as an assistant coach. He joins assistant coaches Phil Housley and Lane Lambert. They worked with Barry Trotz, the only other coach for this franchise who the Predators announced April 14 that he would not return. Caleb Frare Jersey .com) - The Miami Heat will try to close out the Charlotte Bobcats Monday night in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first round series. Red Faber Jersey .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. https://www.cheapwhitesox.com/3474e-ivan-nova-jersey-white-sox.html .J. -- The New Jersey Devils are so bad in shootouts, coach Pete DeBoer doesnt mind seeing his team take chances in the five-minute overtime. Yoan Moncada Jersey . Monta Ellis had 30 points and nine assists, Nowitzki was another of seven Dallas players in double figures with 11 points and the Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-104 Tuesday night. George Kell White Sox Jersey . A receiver doesnt make the catch on a passing play and instantly motions to the ref – and everybody else – for a pass interference flag.Natalie Powell won an all-British showdown with team-mate Gemma Gibbons to win bronze in the womens -78kg category at the European Championships in Kazan. Powell scored victory via ippon to secure Britains second medal of the championships after Colin Oates -66kg silver on Thursday - and strengthen her bid to qualify for the Rio Olympics. Powell had secured impressive wins over Ivana Maranic and Anamari Velensek before coming up jusst short in her semi-final against world No 4 Guusje Steenhuis.ddddddddddddowell said: I came into these European Championships fitter and stronger than I have ever been. 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Owings Mills, MD - The Baltimore Ravens will terminate the contract of nose tackle Terrence Cody after the Super Bowl, the team announced Friday. Cody was set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 10. Cody is under investigation for animal cruelty, according to the Baltimore Sun. He hasnt been charged with a crime. According to multiple sources, the case involves the death of Codys dog. In 2014, Cody played only one game after being on the physically unable to perform list for the first nine weeks of the season. Kobe Shoes China Wholesale .The other side of the Bruins special teams unit delivered in the end.Gregory Campbell netted the game-winner with less than 10 minutes remaining and the Bruins fended off a late four-minute San Jose power play to earn a wild 5-3 win over the Sharks. Kd Shoes Clearance . Ive said it before, Ive worked with top pros and I could have made my own program. http://www.wholesalenikeshoesclearance.com/cheap-kyrie-irving-shoes.html . -- Miguel Angel Jimenez quickly shifted his focus back to the Ryder Cup after winning his first Champions Tour event. Wholesale Nike Shoes China .C. - Phoenix Suns coach Jeff Hornacek says guard Goran Dragic will return to the starting lineup against the Charlotte Hornets after missing the last two games with a strained back. Nike Shoes China Wholesale Paypal . Jannero Pargo scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to help the Charlotte Bobcats erase a 21-point deficit and rally for an 83-76 preseason victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.San Diego, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Minnesota Twins have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Ervin Santana on a four-year deal Wednesday. Yahoo Sports reported that the deal is worth $54 million and will include a fifth-year option that vests depending on innings pitched. Santana started 31 games for the Atlanta Braves in 2014 and was 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA. He also struck out 179 batters in 196 innings and allowed just 16 home runs after surrenddering a league-high 39 two years before.dddddddddddd The 31-year-old hurler spent the first eight years of his career with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim before pitching one year for the Kansas City Royals in 2013. He is 119-100 lifetime with a 4.17 ERA 299 games (296 starts). Santana, a 17-game winner with the Angels in 2010, was an All-Star for the Halos and finished sixth in AL Cy Young voting in 2008, as he went 16-7 with a 3.49 ERA. ' ' '

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Miami Heat stopped a four-game losing streak last time out and thats the same length slide their opponents Wednesday night, the Denver Nuggets, will try to halt when the two teams meet at the Pepsi Center. The Heat marched into Phoenix on Tuesday night and left with a 103-97 victory. That ended a four-game slide, a three-game road losing streak and got the Heat a win on this five-game trek, which ends Friday against the Utah Jazz. Chris Boshs personal seven-point run late in regulation carried the Heat to victory. Miami, which had lost four in a row all by double digits, trailed 91-90 after Marcus Morris drained a 3-pointer with 3:17 left in the fourth quarter. Bosh, though, hit a 14-footer, scored in the lane and drained a dagger 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to give the Heat the lead for good. I wanted to win really bad tonight, said Bosh. We played together and things worked out great. After being limited to 12 points in Sundays loss to Memphis, Bosh poured in 34 on 14-of-21 shooting. Luol Deng chipped in with 23 points and Dwyane Wade netted 16 for Miami, which shot 53.8 percent from the floor and forced 23 turnovers. The Nuggets have dropped four in a row, including three straight on the road. They had the Toronto Raptors on the ropes Monday night, but fell in overtime, 112-107. Denver led in the fourth quarter after it overcame a 16-point deficit. The 35-point first quarter set us back, Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw said. Thats been our problem, not only on this trip, but this entire season. We dig a hole for ourselves. Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson combined to score 47 points for the Nuggets. Lawson had 12 assists to go with his 22 points. Wilson Chandler scored 18 in the loss and Timofey Mozgov had 15 points and 12 rebounds. Denver had a chance to win in regulation but turned the ball over on a shot- clock violation, giving Toronto possession with 4.3 seconds left, but Lowry missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Chandler knocked down a 3 for Denver to start overtime, but the Nuggets didnt score again until Alonzo Gees bucket in the final seconds. The Nuggets visit the Houston Rockets on Saturday, then play four straight at home. The Nuggets ended a three-game series losing streak with a win in March, but the Heat have won two in a row in Denver. Prior to that mini streak, the Nuggets were 10-0 as the host against Miami. Fake Vans Online . He managed to save par, and went on to put together his best opening round of the year. Calcavecchia and Wes Short Jr. Fake Vans Toy Story .com) - Fair Grounds commences its road to the Kentucky Derby Saturday with the 71st running of the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes. http://www.fakevans.com/fake-vans-sk8/ . The union filed a grievance late Thursday, one day after Goodell suspended four players who participated in bounties from 2009-11. The complaint says Goodell is prohibited from punishing players for any aspect of the case occurring before the new collective bargaining agreement was signed last August. Fake Vans From China . The best round belonged to Pat Perez. Tiger Woods didnt come close to claiming either Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open, where the seven-time champion failed to break par in the opening round for first time in his career. Fake Vans For Sale . Still, Milan remained five points behind city rival Inter Milan in the race for fifth place and the final Europa League berth, after Inter beat 10-man Parma 2-0. Meanwhile, Paul Pogba led the way as Juventus stayed on course for a third consecutive title with a 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Bologna.Winnipeg Goldeyes starter Chris Salamida gave up four runs in the top of the first inning on Wednesday night. He then proceeded to put up seven zeroes and watch his teammates come from behind. With Salamida dealing, the Goldeyes came back and beat the Lincoln Saltdogs 6-4 to win the opening game of the best-of-five American Association semifinal series at Shaw Park. Game 2 is slated for Thursday night at Winnipegs downtown ballpark. "That guy (Salamida) is just a great pitcher and we knew hed shut em down and wed come back," said Abercrombie, who went three-for-four with three runs scored, an RBI, three stolen bases and a game-changing triple. "Sal is a great pitcher and for the rest of us, it was just another game. We knew wed come back and win. I was able to get a few hits and the guys got a few hits and we came from behind and won. But how about Sal? I mean, he gave up four in the first and then put up seven straight zeroes. What a performance." Salamida gave up four runs on five hits in the top of the first as heavy-hitting Ian Gac doubled in two runs to lead the way. But that was it. Salamida shut down Lincoln for the next seven innings, then Brendan Lafferty pitched a scoreless ninth as the Fish took a 1-0 series lead. Winnipeg got on the board in the second as Abercrombie beat out an infield single, stole second, stole third and scored on a ground out to first by Ryan Pineda. The Goldeyes tied it in the third as Jake Blackwood led off with a single and scored on a triple to straightaway centre by Abercrombie.dddddddddddd Reggie was fired up when he reached third and so was the rest of the team. The next hitter, Donnie Webb, drilled a belt-high fastball off the light standard in right-centre and with Abercrombie scoring in front of him, Webb had a monster home run and the Fish had tied the game. In the fifth, the Goldeyes took the lead for good as Casey Haerther drew a one-out walk, Abercrombie singled, Donnie Webb walked and then Mazzola hit a ground ball to short. Webb was forced out at second, but Mazzola beat the throw to first and Haerther scored. But the throw to first was in the dirt and Lincoln first baseman Ian Gac lost sight of the ball. The speedy Abercrombie took advantage of the miscue and scored behind Haerther to give Winnipeg a 6-4 lead. The 34-year-old Abercrombie did have three hits, but he beat Lincoln with his legs. "Ive been blessed with some speed and I was able to use it tonight," Reggie said. Salamida (1-0, 4.50 ERA) picked up the victory while Lincoln starter Joe Bisenius (0-1, 9.00 ERA) took the loss. Brendan Lafferty pitched a scoreless ninth inning to get the save. The Goldeyes finished with six runs on 12 hits while the Saltdogs had four runs on 12 hits. The Goldeyes and Saltdogs will meet in Game 2 of this semifinal series on Thursday night at 7. Marquis Fleming (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will get the start for Lincoln, while Ethan Hollingsworth (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will take to the bump for Winnipeg. ' ' '

INDIANAPOLIS - There are a few common denominators between the Indiana Pacers and the reigning champion Miami Heat, with the number of similarities growing each day. Both teams were conference finalists a year ago, both clubs have an unmistakable identity that defines them, both play unselfish, defence-first basketball and in the last four days, both have reminded the Raptors how far they are from competing at their level. For Toronto, Fridays meeting with the still undefeated Pacers came to an unofficial end before most of the home teams fans could make it back to their seats. As good as the Raptors looked in the first half and as hard as they worked to look that good, Indiana reclaimed what was, as they knew it, rightfully theirs in less than three revealing minutes. "We knew they were going to come out and throw their best haymaker at us," Dwane Casey said, his team leading by as many as 12 in the first half and holding on to a two-point advantage at the break. Everyone knew they would, because thats what great teams do. Indiana opened the second half scoring 10 straight points, forcing three turnovers and holding Toronto to 0-of-4 shooting. Just like that, Torontos 24 minutes of (mostly) hard work was more than erased and the game was over. You could see it on the faces of players sitting on both benches as Casey was forced to call a quick third-quarter timeout to regroup. The Pacers had been in this position before, more than you would guess though six games this season. There was no panic, there was no time for sulking. They knew they had it. The Raptors body language spoke louder than words. They knew it was only a matter of time now. "[There are] no moral victories in this one," Kyle Lowry stated and Rudy Gay echoed minutes later. "We lost." The Pacers matched a franchise record - previously set in 1970-71 as an ABA team - winning six straight to begin a season. They havent allowed a team to score more than 91 points or shoot over 40 per cent. They havent scored 100 points, but they havent needed to. "I dont know if the history of [it] is as [important] as the fact that we have to lead on our goal," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said before the game. "And our goal is the number one seed. Were off to a good start and we all understand the importance of each game when our goal is so high." Theyve trailed at halftime in five of their six games, but it hasnt mattered. When youre a team as good as the Pacers, you can afford to bide your time. The Raptors learned that from the Heat on Monday when the defending champs started Torontos losing streak. The Pacers sent them home with that same effortless spanking, extending the Raptors skid to three and reminding them why Wednesdays disappointing loss to the Bobcats was so disappointing. They need to take advantage of winnable games because in this league, if youre a middling team, theyre few and far between. "There are no moral victories," Gay repeated. "We want to get this next one, thats it. We have to get this next one. The more we put ourselves in a hole, the more important the next game is and the next game is pretty important for us." The Raptors host the winless Utah Jazz in the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday. Its not a game they can afford to lose. George vs. Gay The match-up at small forward was a fun one in Indiana Friday night. Gay and the Pacers rising superstar Paul George combined for 53 points, 30 per cent of the total offence in the game. Gay - who came into the game struggling, shooting just 34 per cent - was red-hot out of the gate. The Raptors leading scorer looked like the player of old, scoring 14 of his teams 32 first-quarter points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. He would go on to shoot just 3-of-13 in the second half, finishing the evening with an even 30 points but needing 26 shots to get there. "You can talk about Paul George, but I thought Rudy outplayed him," Casey said. "They won the game, but talking about individual matchups, Rudy played the game hes supposed to play." George was outscored by his counterpart, pouring in 23 on the night, but hardly outplayed with 17 of his points coming in the third quarter when his team needed him the most and the game was ultimately decided. The Pacers all-star forward, who came into the game fifth in scoring, has had at least 21 points in each of his teams six contests. A gifted two-way player, hes every bit the superstar he was paid to be this summer. As George stepped to the line with 11 seconds remaining, he was greeted by a chorus of MVP chants. Although anointing an MVP six games into the season is as silly as it sounds, hes playing at that level and thats the direction the 23-year-old is headed. Hes that good. Learning from the best The Raptors coaching staff, like most teams with young and impressionable big men, have been using the Pacers Roy Hibbert as a model for the 21-year-old Valanciunas. Offensively, the Raptors sophomore centre continues to make strides but, as head coach Casey reminds us, he still has a ways to go on the defensive end. The team hopes he will one day become the anchor that Indianas all-star big man has grown into on both ends of the floor. "He does such a good job of getting deep post position," Casey said of Hibbert, who scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting. "Where he got JV last year was reposting, kicking it out and reposting up so on that second one, if you relax at all, all you can do is pray." One technique Torontos staff continues to preach with Valanciunas is something Hibbert has perfected in his sixth NBA season. To stay out of foul trouble and contest shots in the lane, the Raptors want Valanciunas to go straight up, remaining vertical without bringing his arms down in the process. "We give him the respect of calling it the Hibbert play," Casey said of the technique. "Hes one of the best in the league at doing that and thats where JV is getting much better." "Im trying to be like him with that skill," Valanciunas noted. But its not something Hibbert - the leagues early-season shot block leader - picked up overnight, one of the reasons Casey preaches patience with the development of his young centre. "It takes a lot of time," Pacers coach Frank Vogel acknowledged. "Its one of the things I think most of the big men in the NBA are working to achieve now. I think thats the way that Roy has set the model for how its done." Friday was one of those nights that Casey calls a "learning experience" for Valanciunas. One of his roughest of the young season, Valanciunas scored just four points in 24 minutes, committing five fouls and two turnovers. He was out-muscled by Hibbert, beat off the dribble by quicker players, exposed on switches and missed defensive assignments. The Pacers star big man is a good example of what Valanciunas can grow into but he also serves as a reminder that it takes time. Fake Yeezys Store . -- Arizona pitcher Bronson Arroyo is expected to miss a week to 10 days because of a back injury. Fake Yeezys For Sale . CEO Steve Koonin on Tuesday told the Hawks flagship radio station that he made the decision to discipline Ferry but allowed him to keep his job managing the team. He did not say what the punishment was, but noted that he relied on a law firms three-month investigation of Ferry and him describing Deng as someone who has a little African in him. http://www.fakeyeezysforsale.com/ . On paper, it looks a little like Andre the Giant taking on a midget wrestler. It has all the makings of a rout with the Americans adding an eighth win in nine outings of this biennial event. The Yanks have eight players in the top 15 in the world while the Internationals have just one. Fake Yeezys From China .com) - The 2014 Holiday Bowl is the first postseason venture pitting a pair of ranked foes against each other, as No. Cheap Fake Yeezys . The Maple Leafs will play on the road for the first time this season after dropping home contests to Montreal and Pittsburgh to begin the campaign. After losing a one-goal decision to the Canadiens on Wednesday, they were bested 5-2 on Saturday by the Penguins.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Calgary Flames will try to keep building their case for the playoffs when they host the Minnesota Wild in Thursdays battle at the Saddledome. Calgary picked up its fifth win in six games Tuesday, as the club began its post-All-Star scheduled with a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. It marked a positive start to a six-game homestand for the Flames, who ended a three-game slide on home ice and improved to 12-9-2 as the host. With 55 points, the Flames currently hold the last of two wild card spots in the West. Calgary is one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for that distinction and five points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the first wild card berth. Josh Jooris, Joe Colborne and Johnny Gaudreau scored in a span of eight-plus minutes in the third period to help the Flames down Buffalo and the lowly Sabres to a 12th straight loss. Gaudreau added a first-period strike and Jiri Hudler added a pair of assists for the Flames. We had some big goals, said Flames coach Bob Hartley. In the second period we could have scored four or five goals. We missed the net on a few occasions, but I felt that we got our legs. Jonas Hiller backed up his timely offense with a 17-save effort, his first win since Dec. 31. Hiller will start again tonight and own an 11-5-1 record and 2.39 goals against average in his carreer against Minnesota.dddddddddddd The Wild ended a two-game slide in its first game following the break, picking up a 2-1 regulation win Tuesday in Edmonton. The close victory improved Minnesotas record over the last five games to 3-1-1, but the club is still seven points behind Calgary for the Wests last playoff spot. Charlie Coyle scored Tuesdays game-winning goal with 4:23 remaining in regulation. The deciding effort came after Coyle skated down the left side past two defenders, dragged Viktor Fasth out of his net and capped off the play by tucking the puck into the net from below the goal line. We came out to win, thats all that matters, Coyle said. Its always nice to help out on the scoresheet. Nino Niederreiter also scored and Devan Dubnyk made 23 saves for the Wild, who improved to 10-13-1 on the road this season. Dubnyk is 2-1-0 since coming over from Arizona in a trade and he could get the start again tonight. He is 6-5-3 with a 2.42 GAA in his career against Calgary. The Wild are playing the third part of a four-game road trip tonight and will close the swing Sunday in Vancouver. Tonights game marks the first of three meetings between the Flames and Wild this season. Minnesota is 6-2-1 over the past nine encounters, but Calgary has claimed four of the past six meetings at the Saddledome. ' ' '

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle SenDerrick Marks is counting on coaches and colleagues to get him to the Pro Bowl.Marks has 8 1/2 sacks, tied for second in the NFL among interior lineman. Hes tied with Detroits Ndamukong Suh and Tampa Bays Gerald McCoy.Marks total is impressive considering the Jaguars (3-12) rarely play with a lead, which usually allows defenders to disregard ground games and focus on pressuring quarterbacks.Nonetheless, hes far from a lock to make the leagues all-star game.Not only does he play in small-market Jacksonville, Marks finished 13th at his position in fan balloting that ended last week. Fan votes make up one-third of the Pro Bowl ballot.So Marks needs coaches and fellow players to vote him in. The results will be announced Tuesday night.How will he feel if he doesnt get the nod?How do you look at it? Is it a guy that plays good on a good team? Or a guy that plays good on what you consider a team that doesnt have the record?, Marks said Monday.I thought it was supposed to be a guy who plays the best on that position that year? Thats what I thought it was.A sixth-year pro who signed a four-year extension worth $22 million last December, Marks has emerged as a defensive cornerstone for the rebuilding Jaguars.He has 39 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble return this season. His 8 1/2 sacks have really stood out, with the latest one getting him significant attention in Thursday nights 21-13 win against Tennessee.Marks sacked Charlie Whitehurst on the final play, triggering a $600,000 bonus in his contract for getting eight sacks this season. Marks stood up and started rubbing his fingers together to make a money gesture as teammates mobbed him near midfield.Just to have that goal set and to accomplish it is always huge for your confidence, Marks said.Now, he has to wait and see if it helps get him to the Pro Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.As a personal goal, you hope that you make it, Marks said. You hope that you are first team and you dont have to be an alternate. If it happens, thatll be great. Thatll be awesome. Great stamp on the career, not only for me but for the group.Like I said, I didnt do any of this by myself. I can admit that and I can own up to that. So itd be great for not only me but for my group.If he doesnt make it, Marks might question the voting process. But he insisted he wont have any hard feelings.If it comes out that way, it wouldnt bother me, he said. It wouldnt stop the way I play. It wouldnt hurt my feelings at all.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Nico Hoerner Cubs Jersey . Thats 14 consecutive losses to the two-time defending champs, and most of them were over before they even began. Result notwithstanding, Sundays game had a very different feel to it. David Phelps Cubs Jersey . Compared to what hes gone through in recent weeks, that seemed like a breeze. Speaking to The Associated Press on Friday at an NBA Cares event, Silver said hes thrilled that the leagues attention can be on the championship series between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs -- and not, as it was for so much of the post-season, on the off-the-court matters involving the banishment of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and now the looming sale of that franchise. https://www.cheapcubs.com/910t-rick-reuschel-jersey-cubs.html . The alleged sexual assault is believed to have happened over the weekend of Feb. 1, when the hockey team was in Thunder Bay for two games against Lakehead University. The criminal investigation branch of the Thunder Bay Police Service is leading the investigation with help from Ottawa police. Mark Grace Cubs Jersey . "That was a great lift for the staff," Padres manager Bud Black said. Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal homered, and Chase Headley drove in three runs, as the Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 11-1 on Friday night. Rod Beck Jersey . -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back.Here are five thoughts on the Toronto Raptors seven-game loss to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. 1. JOE JOHNSON (Nets): If I had to pick the guy that was the MVP on this Series, No doubt in my mind it was him. Forget his numbers for a second which were impressive to say the least. It had more to do with his presence and the inability for the Raptors to find a viable/consistent solution to overcome his vast talents. Bottom line, hes a very difficult cover and his strength, post skills, passing ability, creativity off the bounce and distance shooting make him a fascinating and gifted offensive player. Give him credit, He took on all the challenges and made the adjustments and was the difference in this series. 2. STATEMENT: Thanks again! You - the fans have made a wonderful statement across the North American sports landscape and in the NBA community that Toronto and the country of Canada is a growing and vibrant hoops hotbed and will be heard from for generations to come. Cant tell you the impression its made on folks all across the NBA. Utterly remarkable to say the least. Great Opportunity for Raptors President and GM, Masai Ujiri, to now build from a position of strength in his retention and recruitment efforts as he formulates his vision for the long term success of the franchise. A step forward. Long way to go though - yet you can start to see the light. 3. KYLE LOWRY: No idea what will happen with him regarding his future with the Raptors. Im hopeful they can work something out. Ill say this though, the man has really impressed me this season. Every day he left everything out there on the floor for you and competed like few players ever have in a Raptors uniform. For that, we should be grateful and impressed at the same time. Hes been a joy to watch this season and an inspiration to so many young players that can learn from his sheer will and effort that you can overcome a whole lot if you give it your all. He came up short but the man is a winner. Fingers crossed it all comes together and hes back in Toronto. 4. MARCUS THORNTON (Nets): In a Game 7, many times you need that guy that just comes out of left field that gets you over the hump particularly when youre the road team.dddddddddddd Give coach Jason Kidd credit, he played a great hunch and it paid off huge dividends for him. His perimeter shooting, creativity, rebounding and overall explosiveness were the edge the Nets sorely needed to pull off the road win in a deciding game. He was lousy in the early part of the series after playing quite well since being acquired from Sacramento but Coach Kidd showed renewed faith in him and was justly rewarded for it. Joe Johnson was the MVP but he was the difference. 5. DWANE CASEY: Actions speak louder than words. Three years and each year his teams have gotten better and he has grown each year as a head coach. As good a coach as he is - and hes a very good one - hes an even better man. Class act. He did an outstanding job this year and when I reflect over the three year period he has been consistent and stayed true to his core beliefs which I truly respect. He led a team this year that had many limitations (as we could all plainly see in this Series) to 48 wins, an Atlantic Division title and came up a bit short to a much more experienced, talented and deeper Nets team. Yes - Were all bitterly disappointed in the loss of this series yet when you take time to reflect, this organization has a true leader who is bright, steady and wont be out-worked by anyone. When I evaluate a coach, I always point to year three as my barometer of where you truly judge them. Theyve had more than enough time to get things the way they want and now you want to see that vision unfold before you. He has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt in my mind that hes more than deserving of being the head coach of the Raptors and when I evaluate him against his peers Im quite impressed. As a former coach, I think I have a pretty decent feel when I compare/contrast coaches strengths/weaknesses and when I look at coach Casey I see a man who has rolled up his sleeves, paid his dues and is truly a right fit for the task of the challenges that lie ahead for the organization. Hes a coachs coach and I can tell you flat out that the men in his profession not only truly like him but all respect him tremendously. Happy for his success. Good man. Good things do truly happen for good people. ' ' '

Stuttgart, Germany - Oriol Romeu joined Stuttgart on a season-long loan from Chelsea on Monday. The 22-year-old Spanish midfielder recently signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea, and after spending last season on loan with Valencia in La Liga, Romeu will move to the Bundesliga for the 2014-15 campaign. Romeu joined Chelsea from Barcelona in the summer of 2011 and has made 33 appearances for the Blues. He joins a Stuttgart side that finished last season in 15th place, five points above the relegation spots. Jake Fraley Jersey . Schaub will start for an injured Case Keenum and try to help the Texans end a 12-game skid. Schaubs last action in Houston came when he took over late in a game against Oakland on Nov. 17 as Keenum was struggling. Tim Beckham Mariners Jersey .com) - The Carolina Hurricanes hope to remain perfect at home in January on Friday night as they welcome the Vancouver Canucks to PNC Arena. https://www.cheapmariners.com/665k-tom-paciorek-jersey-mariners.html . After a tight first half, the Croatians took command in Reykjavik after Skulason was dismissed for a professional foul in the 51st minute, but couldnt find a way past Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson and his packed defence. Eduardo had a weak shot cleared away from near the goalline after barely a minute for Croatia, whose substitute Ivica Olic forced a fine reaction save from Halldorsson in the 55th. Wholesale Mariners Jerseys . A spokeswoman for the NLRB says its "a very incremental move" and does not necessarily indicate the board is close to a finding in the case. NFL owners filed an unfair labour charge against the players union in February, arguing that the union was not negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in good faith. Al Cowens Jersey . The team of Lars Nelson, Daniel Richardsson, Johan Olsson, and anchor Marcus Hellner cruised to victory in the 4x10 km event, winning in a time of one hour, 28 minutes, and 42.TORONTO - After an uneven performance at the Americas Rugby Championship, a reinforced Canadian squad looks to take it up a notch on its November tour of Europe.The Canadian men open Nov. 2 in Leicester, England, against an RFU Championship XV, an all-star squad from Englands second tier. Then there are Test matches against Namibia in Colwyn Bay, Wales, on Nov. 7, Samoa in Vannes, France on Nov. 14, and Romania in Bucharest on Nov. 22.Coach Kieran Crowley has named 33 players for the tour but will have to manage his roster given that the opening contest falls outside the IRB Test window so top clubs do not have to release their players. Crowley will field a non-Test Canada XV squad for that game.Crowley is looking for a step up from the ARC, where a Canada A side finished third with a 1-2-0 record after losses to the U.S. Selects and Argentina Jaguars and a win over a depleted Uruguay side.I was pretty disappointed in our overall performances, Crowley said bluntly from London where he was attending International Rugby Board meetings ahead of the tour. The results werent great. Some of the rugby we played wasnt the best. But it was a good competition. It was a step up for some of our guys and I think their skill level got exposed because of the speed of the game. Argentina and the U.S. had very strong teams there.From a long-term perspective, it certainty showed that there were a couple of players there that have put themselves in contention for World Cup selection now. And there will be a couple probably that were disappointed in their performances.Crowley has been able to summon the likes of captain Tyler Ardron, Jamie Cudmore, DTH van der Merwe, Aaron Carpenter and Hubert Buydens for the November Tests.Buydens is coming off winning the ITM Cup Championship in New Zealand with the Manawatu Turbos in a 32-24 decision over a Hawkes Bay side that featured fellow Canadian prop Jason Marshall. Jake Ilnicki, another prop, has been playing for the NSW County Eagles in Australia.These guys have had outstanding experiences, just showing the fact that when they do get the opportunity that they are up to that level, said Crowley, a former New Zealand All Black.Thats good news for Crowley and scrum coach Mike Shelley with the World Cup roster expanded to 31 with the addition of another prop.The European tour represents a demanding schedule for the 17th-ranked Canadians. No. 9 Samoa, No. 16 Romania and No. 22 Namibia have all qualified for next years World Cup, with Namibia joining Canada in Pool D alongside No. 5 Ireland, No. 7 France, and No. 14 Italy.Its going to be a challenge, particularly with the travel, said Crowley.The RFU Championship XV game could also be a banana skin with a roster reinforced by players on loan from Premiership teams.Crowley will be watching closely, with an eye to World Cup selection.Theres still a number of holes actually. Weve got a few players here that I want to have a look at. Probably foor some of those guys its their last opportunity to really put their foot forward.dddddddddddd At the end of November I will hopefully have a real sense of where were going for next July and that Pacific competition.After the November tour, the Canadians will go to Fiji in March for the Pacific Nations Cup. Canada will also play the U.S. in July.The Canadian tour side will be without the injured Matt Evans, Harry Jones, Phil Mack, Phil Mackenzie, Mike Scholz and Liam Underwood, with Crowley saying some of the omissions are more of a precautionary nature.Former captain Aaron Carpenter will miss the first two games on tour because his wife is expecting.The tour will allow the Canadians to stay at one of their World Cup bases in Leicester.———Canadian Tour SquadTyler Ardron (capt.), Ospreys (Wales), Lakefield, Ont.; Ray Barkwill, Niagara Wasps RFC, Niagara Falls, Ont.; Nick Blevins, Calgary Hornets, Calgary; Connor Braid, James Bay AA, Victoria; Brett Buekeboom, Plymouth Albion (England), Lindsay, Ont.; Hubert Buydens, Manawatu Turbos (New Zealand), Saskatoon; Aaron Carpenter, Cornish Pirates RFC, Brantford, Ont.; Jamie Cudmore, ASM Clermont Auvergne (France), Squamish, B.C.; Nanyak Dala, Castaway Wanderers, Regina; Sean Duke, UVIC Vikes, Vancouver; Kyle Gilmour, St. Albert RFC, St. Albert, Alta.; Ryan Hamilton, Capilano RFC, Vancouver; Jeff Hassler, Ospreys (Wales), Okotoks, Alta.; Ciaran Hearn, Castaway Wanderers, Conception Bay South, N.L.; Tyler Hotson, London Scottish RFC (England), Vancouver; Jake Ilnicki, NSW County Eagles (Australia), Williams Lake, B.C.; Jamie Mackenzie, UVIC Vikes, Oakville, Ont.; Jason Marshall, Hawkes Bay Magpies (New Zealand), Vancouver; Gordon McRorie, Calgary Hornets, Calgary; John Moonlight, James Bay AA, Pickering, Ont.; Patrick Parfrey, Swilers RFC, St. Johns, N.L.; Taylor Paris, SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne (France), Barrie, Ont.; Seb Pearson, London St. Georges, London, Ont.; Jon Phelan, Castaway Wanderers, Montreal; James Pritchard, Bedford Blues (England), Parkes, Australia; Jebb Sinclair, London Irish, Fredericton; Richard Thorpe, London Welsh (England), Beckenham, England; Andrew Tiedemann, Plymouth Albion (England), St. Albert, Alta.; Conor Trainor, UBCOB Ravens, Vancouver; DTH van der Merwe, Glasgow Warriors (Scotland), Regina; Sean White, James Bay AA, Victoria; Jordan Wilson-Ross, James Bay AA, Alliston, Ont.; Doug Wooldridge, Lindsay RFC, Lindsay, Ont.Head Coach: Kieran CrowleyManager: Gareth ReesAssistant Coach: Neil BarnesAttack Coach: Scott HansonScrum Coach: Mike ShelleyStrength and Conditioning Coach: Andy EvansPerformance Analyst: Calum Ramsay———ScheduleNov. 2 at Sixways Stadium, Worcester, EnglandCanada XV vs. RFU Championship XVNov. 7 at Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay, WalesCanada vs. NamibiaNov. 14 at Stade de la Rabine, Vannes, FranceCanada vs. SamoaNov. 22 at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, BucharestCanada vs. Romania———Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter ' ' '

The Winnipeg Jets play their final game before the Olympic Break with a 1:00 face off in St. Louis. Its the fourth meeting of the season between these Central Division opponents with Winnipeg having once just once. Alexander Steen has led the Blues with four goals in those games. Due to the afternoon start, neither team held a pregame skate this morning. The (28-26-5) Jets are three points behind Phoenix for a Western Conference Wild Card playoff spot. Under Head Coach Paul Maurice, Winnipegs record is 9-3. Al Montoya (10-4-1, 2.14, .926) will start in goal. Hes won his last two road starts in Chicago and Montreal. Based on practice yesterday, the Jets Projected Lines are: Ladd-Little-FrolikThorburn-Scheifele-WheelerSetoguchi-Jokinen-ByfuglienTangradi-Wright-Peluso Enstrom-BogosianStuart-TroubaEllerby-Pardy Winnipegs penalty kill on the road has moved up to second in the NHL at 86.5%. The (38-12-6) Blues are second in the Central Division with 82 points and trail first place Chicago by two points. They have a five point lead on the third place Avalanche. Brian Elliott (14-4-2, 2.10, .917) will start in goal. He is 1-0-1 vs Winnipeg this season with a 1.92 goals against average and .920 save percentage. Based on practice yesterday, the Blues Projected Lines are: Steen-Backes-StewartSchwartz-Roy-JaskinPaajarvi-Berglund-OshieMorrow-Lapierre-Reaves Pietrangelo-BouwmeesterShattenkirk-JackmanLeopold-Polak St. Louis is 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. The Blues power play is second in the NHL at 22.6%. Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester will play his 691st consecutive game today. Next action for the Jets will be Thursday, February 27 at MTS Centre vs the Phoenix Coyotes. Rick Manning Indians Jersey . Granada goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez saved Morenos first two headers from corner kicks taken by Sergio Garcia, but the defender beat him on his third try after Garcia found Moreno unmarked at the near post in the 78th minute. Jason Kipnis Jersey .com) - Mikko Korhonen carded a 5-under 67 on Thursday to claim medalist honors at the European Tours Final Qualifying Stage tournament. https://www.cheapindiansonline.com/1858u-terry-francona-jersey-indians.html . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Rick Manning Jersey . Fourteen players were suspended last summer by Major League Baseball as part of the Biogenesis drug scandal, ranging from All-Stars to also-rans. Stitched Indians Jerseys . -- Brendan Leipsic had two goals and an assist and Nicolas Petan extended his point streak to 11 games as the Portland Winterhawks slipped past the Red Deer Rebels 5-4 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action.PLANCHER-LES-MINES, France -- Italys Vincenzo Nibali stamped his dominance on the Tour de France by winning Stage 10 in the Vosges mountains on Monday -- shortly after his biggest rival for the title, two-time champion Alberto Contador, crashed out with a fractured shin after a high-speed spill. Nibali, the Astana team leader, also regained the overall race lead from Frances Tony Gallopin -- who had taken the leaders yellow jersey off him a day earlier -- in the 161.5-kilometre trek from the eastern city of Mulhouse to a super-steep uphill finish at La Planche des Belles Filles. With a final burst of speed in the last two kilometres, Nibali overtook breakaway rider Joaquim Rodriguez. The Spaniard, heaving hard as Nibali overtook him, caught back up briefly but then the Italian accelerated brutally with 700 metres to go. By the end, Nibali crossed 15 seconds ahead of Frances Thibault Pinot in second and Spains Alejandro Valverde in third, a further five seconds behind. The Italian recovers the yellow jersey that he wore for seven days after he won the Tours second stage in the hills of Yorkshire in northern England. "My legs felt good. I knew the last three kilometres were the toughest, and thats when I accelerated," said Nibali, sucking his thumb in a tribute to his young daughter as he finished. "I thought Rodriguez would follow but he seemed to have trouble." With Contador out, Nibali is now the favourite to win his first Tour. He has won the Italian Giro and the Spanish Vuelta -- cyclings other "Grand Tours" along with the French race. Overall, he leads Richie Porte of Australia by nearly 2 minutes, 23 seconds, and Valverde, who is third, 2:47 back. A string of crash injuries has meant that the Tour will have a first-time winner this year. The departure of Contador, a 31-year-old Spaniard with Tinkoff-Saxo Bank, follows that of defending champion Chris Froome of Britain who crashed out in the fifth stage. Before the race began, they were considered the top two favourites. Andy Schleck, the 2010 Tour winner, dropped out before Stage 4 following a crash injury a day earlier, though the Luxembourg rider said before the race that he wasnt in good enough shape to contend this year. According to his spokesman, Contador said he wasnt exactly sure what caused the crash -- which happened while he was speeding downhill at over 70 kph about halfway through the stage. Contador began the stage in ninth place overall -- 4 minutes, 8 seconds back of Gallopin. "He explained to me just a few minutes ago that he (hit) a stone or a hole in the road or something -- and he crashed," CContador spokesman Jacinto Vidarte told The Associated Press by phone during the stage.dddddddddddd "He couldnt do anything about it." TV images showed thick streams of blood pouring from Contadors right knee after the crash, his hip was scraped up, and the back of his jersey torn. Team director Bjarne Riis rushed over and bandaged the knee. Philippe Mauduit, a team sporting director, said initial X-rays showed that a Contador had a fractured shin. Contador then sat back down on the grass bank and changed his left shoe as riders weaved through the narrow gap between him and his bicycle. After several minutes, he got back in the saddle of a new bike, and three teammates who had dropped back escorted him to try to make up lost time as the peloton pulled away up the Col du Platzerwaswel mountain pass. The Spaniard rode for about another half-hour, clearly in pain, and finally stopped, got off, wiped his eyes and climbed into a team car. Nibali said he was riding next to Contador, and almost went down himself. "I feared that the Tour might be over for me too," the Italian said. "There were a lot of risks today, and Im really sorry for Alberto Contador. I was right behind him and luckily I was able to avoid him. It was on a descent. The road wasnt in great condition. "I dont know what happened, but it was just incredible," said Nibali. "He fell right in front of me and was rolling on the floor. We must have been going about 60 kilometres per hour." There were crashes elsewhere. Italian rider Michele Scarponi -- Nibalis Astana teammate -- sustained a heavy crash coming down from the penultimate climb up to Col des Chevreres. He misjudged a turn and thudded into a protective crash barrier, flipping over his bike and colliding with an adult spectator who was standing up. Scarponi was able to continue riding. British rider Geraint Thomas also crashed near the end and continued riding with blood pouring out of his left elbow. The stage featured four steep Category 1 climbs. The last section of the final ascent up to Belles Filles featured a punishing 20 per cent gradient which, as expected, shook up the pack and gave a clearer indication of contenders for overall victory of the three-week race on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on July 27. The race has its first rest day on Tuesday before resuming with a slightly hilly 187.5-kilometre route from Besancon to Oyonnax in eastern France on Wednesday. Stage 11 will feature four moderate climbs toward the end. ------ Eds: AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire in Plancher-les-Mines, France, contributed to this report. ' ' '

Dustin Byfuglien was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2003 while playing defence for the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. And on defence was where his NHL career started. After two years as a pro, 34 NHL games and 116 AHL games, Byfuglien started year three with Rockford, but was now a forward. The Hawks needed some size up front and Byfuglien could fill that void. His next call to the NHL came in early November of the 2007-08 season and he has stayed in the big league ever since. He scored on his first shift and later that month added his first career hat-trick. He was a huge contributor in the 2010 playoffs as the Hawks won the Stanley Cup. Cap issues forced the Hawks to make some moves and Byfuglien was moved to Atlanta. Rick Dudley was the general manager with the Thrashers and Byfuglien the option on where hed play. I said D, Byfuglien explained. Perfect, that’s what I wanted.” One year in Atlanta and the franchise moved to Winnipeg. Byfuglien remained a blueliner until January of 2014. The Jets had lost four in a row and then coach Claude Noel moved Byfuglien up front. For the first time all season, Byfuglien saw his ice time drop below 20 minutes. The Jets lost the game and Paul Maurice was behind the Jets bench for the next game, but Byfuglien remained a forward. At training camp, Maurice continued to use Byfuglien as a forward, on the point on the power play, and on the blue line in four-on-four situations, including overtime. The idea was the get Byfuglien as much ice time as possible, but depending on special teams, the ice time would fluctuate from a low of 13:28 to a high of 23:17. Then came the injuries to the back end. First Toby Enstrom, then Grant Clitsome. Ben Chairot was summoned from St. John’s and the Jets D pairings against Edmonton on December 3 were Stuart/Trouba, Chairot/Bogosian and Pardy/Postma. Late in the game, Zach Bogosian blocked a shot and he was done. Three of the Jets top six D were now on the shelf. So on December 4, Byfuglien came in for practice and found a red defenceman jersey hanging in his stall. Byfuglien accepted the fact the team needed him to play up front, but his preference is and always will be, to play defence. The easiest move for Maurice was to leave the rest of the pairings the same and put Byfuglien with Chairot. The pairings stayed that way for five games. Out went Mark Stuart and the next game Jacob Trouba was put on IR. Clitsome had returned, but still leaving the Jets minus their top-four defencemen. Byfuglien’s ice time jumped to the high 20s and he quickly became a dominant NHL defenceman. After fifteen games on defence, he was selected to the All-Star team as a defenceman and played so well in the next five games, he was named the NHLs First Star of the Week on January 19. This is Byfuglien’s third All-Star selection, although he missed the 2012 All-Star Game because of injury. In 26 games as a forward, Byfuglien had five goals and six assists. In 22 games as a defenceman, he tallied seven goals and 13 goals. The list of players that have seen Byfuglien’s physical side up close includes Tyson Barrie, Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, Francois Beauchemin, Corey Perry and Jason Spezza. This from Maurice – “Byfuglien has been a critical element in us surviving all the injuries. He is playing with a lot of confidence. Playing at a really high level – big minutes, providing offense. Never a doubt he’s a special player.” If Byfuglien was a run-and-gun defenceman last year, thats not the case now. Hes right into the defence-first system. His former Chicago teammate, Jets captain Andrew Ladd referred to #33 as “extraordinary. Ladd has had a front-row seat for most of Byfuglien’s career. “I played junior against him, Ladd said. He was a dominant offensive force. A defenceman that could control the game, a game breaker.” Ladd remembers the postseason as the time Byfuglien truly broke out in Chicago. “He had some early success, but with the depth on D it meant he would have only played 10 to 15 minutes a night, so (Blackhawks coach) Joel Quennville had the luxury of shifting him and getting him out there 18 to 20, Ladd explained. We had skilled guys that could get him the puck and he had an immediate impact up front. When he really took off was in the playoffs. The Vancouver series stands out most about how dominant he could be as a forward. He was our best player in the series.” In separate deals, both then moved to Atlanta where Byfuglien resumed his career as a defenceman. Ladd was impressed, but not surprised. “On D you have a player that is going to play 30 minutes, said Ladd. Any time you can get a player with his puck skills out for another 12 minutes, it’s to your benefit. And he had a great year. He led D-men in goals (20). Then, we came here and because we were all thinking offence is probably what got him moved back up front. Then, with all the injuries this year, he was the perfect guy to throw back there. He controls the puck and physically there is not a more dominant player in the NHL.” “He is the leader back there, said Blake Wheeler of Byfuglien. Hes so instrumental in our success. His best asset is the way he thinks the game and sees the ice. He’s special. Unlike anyone.” Wheeler also feels Byfuglien is now being appreciated for his efforts. Wheeler made the reference of a puppy looking for love, but that continuously gets snubbed. “When you don’t get it, it can wear on you, said Wheeler. He now feels what he does is impactful. He feels appreciated.” “He talks a lot out there,” said Chairot when asked about Byfuglien. “He has been a real calming influence for me.” As for the big man himself, he does far more talking on the ice than he does in media scrums. “No doubt I’m playing better defence, but the whole team is, said Byfuglien. I enjoy being back there.” He actually was told after the game against Edmonton (when the severity of the Bogosian injury was confirmed) that he was going back. “I’d been hinting all year about going back, now it was happening, he said. There was a quick conversation with [Maurice] about guidelines.” On December 4, after his first practice on the back end, he was asked about the adjustment. “Just like getting out of my king size bed, putting on my slippers,” he said. Byfuglien truly enjoys being a defenceman - why? “I control the game. That’s my playground. Simple.” Nike Shoes From China . 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Bjoergen pulled away from Swedens Charlotte Kalla on the final straight to win in 38 minutes, 33.6 seconds and defend her title from the 2010 Vancouver Games. Kalla was 1.8 seconds back. Heidi Weng of Norway took bronze.Morgantown, WV (SportsNetwork.com) - Abdel Nader finished with 19 points as No. 17 Iowa State held off 14th-ranked West Virginia 74-72 on Saturday. Georges Niang finished with 16 points and five rebounds, Dustin Hogue netted 11 points and Jameel McKay chipped in with six points, seven rebounds and five blocks for the Cyclones (12-2, 2-0 Big 12), who have won nine of their last 10 games. I couldnt be more proud of how our guys fought through adversity tonight, said Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg. (Nader) was unbelievable tonight, not only hitting shots, he was getting to the free throw line and getting to the basket. I thought he showed good poise against the press. We needed every one of those points and he hit some big free throws down the stretch. Juwan Staten scored a game-high 23 points and Devin Williams supplied 14 points and 15 boards as the Mountaineers (14-2, 2-1) had their seven-game winning streak come to an end. We had guys open and we didnt pass the ball, West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins said. We struggled to make shots at times. You have to pass the ball and have a defense to do that anyway. The Mountaineers pulled within three points as Connor Chase made a trey and after the two teams traded baskets, Statens 3-point play made it a 69-68 game with 55 seconds to play. Gary Browne stole the ensuing inbounds pass and called a timeout. Jonathan Holton missed a layup and Bryce Dejean-Jones went down the court for a layup and a 71-68 lead with 29 seconds to go. Staten missed both shots from the foul line, but Holton and Williams each made a pair around two from Nader for a 73-772 score with just six seconds remaining.dddddddddddd West Virginia quickly fouled to send Naz Long to the line. Long made his first shot, but missed his second. Nathan Adrian quickly pulled the ball down and heaved it from his side of half-court, but the ball fell short as time expired. Iowa State led by eight points early on, but West Virginia used a 10-3 run to draw even heading into halftime. Browne and Staten each supplied triples and Statens pair of free throws with two seconds to play made it a 32-32 contest. With the game tied less than three minutes into the second half, Monte Morris hit a trey to ignite a 7-0 burst that put the Cyclones back ahead 44-37. After McKay threw down a slam for an eight-point Iowa State advantage, West Virginia began to dismantle the Cyclones lead. Jaysean Paige bookended a 10-2 run with triples that made it a 55-55 game with 7:37 to play. Brownes free throw gave the Mountaineers a 58-57 lead, but McKay went in on a layup and Nader hit two free throws to put the Cyclones back on top with under five minutes to play. Staten cut the deficit to one point with a layup, but Nader drained a triple off a dish from Long and hit two free throws for a 66-60 score with 3:28 to play. Game Notes Iowa State has won six straight games against conference opponents ... The Cyclones lead the all-time series, 4-1 ... Iowa State is now 19-2 when Morris has at least five assists. He finished with six ... The Cyclones shot 50 percent from the field, while the Mountaineers were held to a paltry 32.4 shooting percentage. ' ' '

PORTLAND, Ore. -- It took one more day than they wouldve liked, but the Edmonton Oil Kings are Western Hockey League champions for the second time in three seasons. Four different Oil Kings scored in a decisive second period as Edmonton won Game 7 of the WHL final 4-2 over the Portland Winterhawks. In Sundays Game 6 in Edmonton, the Oil Kings watched a three-goal lead evaporate in the third period before losing 6-5 in overtime. Edmonton again built a three-goal lead through two periods on Monday, and didnt let this one get away. Mitch Moroz, Curtis Lazar, Reid Petryk and Mads Eller all scored in a four-goal second period for the Oil Kings and Goaltender Tristan Jarry stopped 32 shots in victory. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Brendan Leipsic scored for Portland, which got 29 saves from goalie Brendan Burke. As the Oil Kings celebrated on the ice after the game at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, they held the No. 26 jersey of Kristians Pelss, a former teammate who drowned last summer at age 20. "Hes been with us through this whole thing," said Lazar. "He motivates us to make ourselves better. We know hes looking over us, we played for him and it showed." Bjorkstrand scored his league-leading 16th goal of the playoffs- but his first of the final series- at 4:42 of the first to give the Winterhawks a 1-0 lead. "They came at us hard for 10 minutes but we weathered the storm," said Edmonton coach Derek Laxdal, who won a Memorial Cup championship as a player with the Winterhawks in the same building in 1983. "I told the guys I won a championship here and I wanted them to do it, too." The Oil Kings busted out in the second period, scoring three times in less than six minutes to take command. Moroz scored at the 3:50 mark of the period to tie the game, then Lazar and Petryk scored 40 seconds apart near the midway point of the period to make it 3-1. "We actually got kick-started with us taking a penalty," said Lazar. "We wanted to kill it off, and it actually led to some offence and we just kept rolling." Ellers goal with 2:43 left in the period gave the Oil Kings their second consecutive three-goal lead through two periods. Leipsic scored with 3:22 left in regulation, but the Winterhawks couldnt pull off a second unlikely comeback in two days. "We talked that the sun was going to come up today and our energy would come up, too," said Laxdal. "We tried to motivate our guys all day. Our guys were gutsy." The Oil Kings are off to the Memorial Cup, which begins Friday in London, Ont. This was the third straight year Edmonton and Portland have met in the WHL final series. The Oil Kings prevailed in seven games in 2012, while the Winterhawks won in six games last season. Portland appeared in the WHL finals for the fourth straight season, but dropped to 1-3 in those series. "Itll always hang there, that disappointment," said Portland coach Mike Johnston. "Eventually well look back at our records and conference and division championships, but we were so close to tasting victory. "We know how hard it is to move on, were fortunate to have had some cracks at it the last few years." Fake Soccer Jerseys . Trailing 5-4 in the third set, the 12th-ranked Isner fought off two match points and evened it at 5-5 with consecutive aces. The former University of Georgia star had his only service break of the match to go up 6-5 before firing the last four of his 30 aces to close out Ginepri, an Atlanta resident ranked 281st. Stitched Soccer Jerseys . Costa Rica followed up its wins over Uruguay and Italy by holding England to a dour 0-0 draw on Tuesday, enough to finish first in Group D. https://www.soccerjerseyschina.us/ . But Paul Osbaldiston, Hamiltons assistant special teams and kicking coach, said the team still relished the championship game workout. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys . The team sent out a press release on Friday stating Poile was resting and recovering and that he will remain in hospital for further observation. The Predators were preparing for the game against the Wild when Poile was hit by a puck that flew off the ice at him where he was standing in a tunnel behind the bench. Replica Soccer Jerseys . -- One shot came out of bottom of a cactus, the other from the base of a desert bush with rocks scattered around it.Day in 100 words or less It was supposed to be a day without drama. A day the bookmakers told us would be rudimentary, seeing France and Germany breeze by Nigeria and Algeria respectively. We should have known better. France were average for 70 minutes and good for 20, scoring late to prevent Nigeria from moving on. Germany, on the other hand, were pathetic for 70 minutes, average for 20 and marginally better in the extra time they needed to see off Algeria. Germany 2-1 Algeria (AET) Germany are in Brazil to win the World Cup. They may be only three wins away but based on this display those victories are going to be very difficult to find. World Cup winners are allowed slow starts and mixed performances along the way, but Joachim Lows side have a lot of work to do between now and July 13. In the end they, just, deserved the win in Porto Alegre but Algeria played a huge part in an enthralling match. They also did a great job at targeting Germanys high defensive line. The problem for Germany was not the position of the line, but the amount of things they did wrong while playing with it. It was clear they didnt want playmakers dropping in between the lines and with Algeria playing deep, Germanys high line made sense. Except, the players didnt orchestrate the game-plan properly. The full-backs are supposed to drop deep to cover any attackers in behind but their positioning was poor. In front, the midfield of Germany did little to press Algeria into a mistake and far too often balls were easily played over the top, forcing Per Mertesacker and Jerome Boateng to regularly turn and face their own goal, an area many centre-backs are not comfortable with. Thankfully, they had Manuel Neuer in behind and he made an incredible amount of clearances outside of his box. Stats powered by Opta Germanys problems continued in possession. They head into the quarter-finals with too many of their key players either not fit or not playing well. This is a team that became obsessed with Spain after losing to them twice at Euro 2008 and at the last World Cup but at the moment they have a balance issue with their front six. Bastian Schweinsteiger, so crucial to their hopes, limped off in extra time and will desperately be needed in the quarter-final. Philipp Lahm is a fine midfielder but his value is much higher as a full-back. Forced into that change when Shkodran Mustafi was stretchered off, Lahm at full-back gives Germany an outlet his teammates trust in a wide area. It also unleashes Sami Khedira into midfield, a player, himself, who is not fully fit but who brings something completely different to the midfield with his penetration. Think Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso from 2010 - that is what Khedira and Schweinsteiger can be. A pair with great strength who can dictate the tempo and direction of a match. Germanys Xavi, Toni Kroos, is a fine player who can dictate the pace and tempo but demands calculated and intelligent movement in front of him. He is not a true playmaker who will beat two or three men and score an individual goal. This puts tremendous pressure on the front three. Again, thinking of Spain, these three are essential for success. Mario Gotze and Mesut Ozil are not natural wide players. They like to operate centrally in spaces between the lines but that makes Germany easy to defend against. Germany needed width, much like Spain did in 2010, and on came their Pedro, Andre Schurrle for Gotze. Ozil, however, was no Andres Iniesta. He is a defensive liability when an opponent is not in possession of the ball and when in possession he is not at his best on the left flank. Ozil likes to make quick movements, quick passes to feet, and out wide that requires full-backs to get forward, something this German team does very little of. Thomas Muller, one of the bright spots for Germany against Algeria, is a vital player for Lows system. However, the jurry is still out on what his best position is.dddddddddddd. Germany started with a false nine in this tournament, then went to Muller as the target man, but it was clear how valuable he is on the Schurrle goal, as his direct running into space and creativity set up the Chelsea man for a moment of brilliance on the goal. Their next opponents, France, may just be exactly what they need. France are a talented team but they have not been tested enough when forced to defend a lot, they tend to play slowly in possession and Germany should control possession and could do what Spain did to France two years ago at Euro 2012. That is easier said than done, however, and Germany will need to be far better to stay in Brazil. What they do have, though, is a cast of characters who are genuine world class stars. If any team can turn this around quickly it is this one. France 2-0 Nigeria There is a very thin line between success and failure at World Cups. The line is different for every team. Frances victory over Nigeria saw them jump over that line. Whatever happens from now on, this World Cup has become a success for a French team some thought wouldnt qualify after their loss in Ukraine last October. Against Nigeria they were far from perfect but their maturity came through. Under Didier Deschamps there is no room for complacency and France were a united front. For the second successive day, a European team grew stronger as the game wore on and a key tactical switch made the difference. Deschamps chose to play Karim Benzema with Olivier Giroud but Nigeria exploited this, creating overlaps out wide on the left where the Real Madrid man operated. This forced Blaise Matuidi to cover and help Patrice Evra, opening up spaces in midfield. During the second half Antoine Griezmann was introduced for Giroud and the balance of the side was much better. Benzema was not at his best but, importantly, France were able to pull through in a game where he didnt carry them. The goal came from a set-piece and the Nigerian goalie, Vincent Enyeama, who had been excellent, made one error in judgment and allowed Paul Pogba to nod home the winning goal into an empty net. Laurent Koscienly, a menace to defend at set plays throughout, played a huge part by attracting two defenders that the goalkeeper didnt trust to deal with the Arsenal man. It was a fitting goal for Pogba, who was the best player on the pitch. In all, many French players who have excelled at the highest level, the Champions League, performed very well like Mathieu Valbuena, Laurent Koscielny, Raphael Varane and Pogba. Nigeria go home with their heads held high with many of their players having had an excellent World Cup. Man of the Day Nominees Ahmed Musa – The Nigerian attacker has had a fantastic World Cup and his speed on the counter caused France a number of problems. Paul Pogba – The Juventus man had easily his best performance at the World Cup so far and scored the crucial goal. Andre Schurrle – Once again another substitute at this World Cup made a big impact on the game. Manuel Neuer – The German goalkeeper was sensational, often playing as an 11th outfield player, sweeping up behind his defence. Essaid Belkalem – The Algerian defence was brilliant, led by the 25-year-old Watford defender. The winner... Manuel Neuer – Arguably one of the best goalkeepers in the world today had a monumental match when his country needed him the most. What comes next? Argentina vs Switzerland (12pm et/9am pt) and Belgium vs USA (4pm/1pm) Burning question for Tuesday Will Belgium start a game better than they have done so far in this World Cup or will they once again start slowly and allow the USA confidence to build? Key stat of Day 19 With 10 games remaining, we have now had 150 goals at this World Cup. That is more than we had in 2006 and 2010. ' ' '