MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City ended Liverpools short stay at the top of the English Premier League and moved ahead of its title rival after Alvaro Negredo secured a 2-1 victory in their Boxing Day encounter. Kaka Jersey . Englands most potent attacking team quickly recovered after Phillippe Coutinho put Liverpool ahead in the 24th minute. Vincent Kompany headed City level seven minutes later and Negredos high shot was fumbled into the net by Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet on the stroke of halftime. "Thats the hardest game so far. Liverpool are a good team so its great for us," Kompany said. "Its a weird (title race) because all the teams started a little slowly." City ended the day as it started: A point behind the leaders. But Arsenal is back atop the standings, with City moving up a place to second and Liverpool dropping to fourth behind Chelsea. "I thought we were absolutely outstanding," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. "(The players) had no help whatsoever from the officials. They were horrendous." Aggrieved that Raheem Sterling had a goal ruled out for offside and Luis Suarez was denied a late penalty, Rodgers questioned why a referee from the Manchester area -- Lee Mason of Bolton -- was given a match involving a Manchester team. Rodgers could face an English Football Association charge for calling into question the referees integrity and implying potential bias. "We never got any decision," Rodgers said. Despite the setback, Liverpool was only three points behind leader Arsenal going into Sundays match at Chelsea. City, though, remain the favourite to repeat its 2012 title triumph after its ninth straight home win to start the season. Manuel Pellegrinis side has beaten every team in the top eight apart from Chelsea, and has netted a league leading 53 goals in 18 games. Despite going up against the high-scoring Suarez, City was again the superior attacking unit and created all the danger at the start. Jesus Navas headed against the post after five minutes, Kompany missed the target with a header from Samir Nasris corner, and Yaya Toures shot was deflected wide. It wasnt long, though, before City goalkeeper Joe Hart was called into action in his second league match after being dropped for two months. Hart denied Suarez an 11th goal of the month when he blocked his free kick. But, after Raheem Sterlings goal was harshly ruled out for being offside while meeting Suarezs pass, Hart was beaten. Suarez flicked the ball through for Sterling to round Hart, whose goal was open for Coutinho to dispatch the loose ball into the net from a tight angle. The lead lasted only seven minutes. Kompany outjumped Martin Skrtel to meet David Silvas corner and his header first went past the diving Mignolet and then Joe Allen was powerless to stop on the goal-line. In a fast-paced game, City was at times exposed by the speed of Liverpools break. In the 40th, Suarez released Coutinho, who was denied this time by Hart. Harts counterpart, though, wasnt as assured between the posts. City broke through the middle, with Nasri and Navas leading the charge before feeding Negredo. The shot from Negredo didnt seem menacing but Mignolet pushed it looping over him into the net. "Im disappointed we shipped a goal from a corner and for the second goal, we have to manage the game better coming up to halftime," Rodgers said. "Thats an area we will look at, for sure." Liverpool, so devastating in December -- with 18 goals in four games -- couldnt produce an equalizer. Jordan Henderson struck over at the start of the second half from Suarezs layoff. Mignolet, though, wasnt beaten again, getting two hands on the ball this time when Negredo tried to chip him, and easily collecting a header from the forward. At the other end, Hart made a case for retaining his place in the City goal after error-strewn performances led to him being dropped in October for league matches. The England goalkeeper denied Glen Johnson before being alert to keep out Hendersons backheeled shot. Liverpools best chance of the half to equalize was squandered when Sterling met Suarezs cross but blazed over with the goal seemingly at his mercy. Suarez was denied a penalty late on when Joleon Lescott tugged on his shirt. "Im disappointed to lose," Rodgers said, "but the over-riding feeling is pride in my players." Fred Brazil Jersey . LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright decided to use a simple approach to break out of his two-game slump. Bernard Brazil Jersey . And they needed every bit of scoring they could muster. Malkin had a hat trick and the Penguins almost blew a four-goal lead before holding off the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Monday night to clinch their first-round playoff series in six games.MONTREAL -- Eugenie Bouchard did everything she could to help her country. Bouchard won both her singles matches, including the clincher on Sunday, to power Canada to a 3-1 victory over Serbia in its Fed Cup World Group II tie over the weekend. In beating Serbias Vesna Dolonc 6-0, 6-3, the Montreal native gave Canada a 3-0 lead in the best-of-five tie in front of her hometown fans at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex. "I think I played two solid matches, and I helped Canada," said Bouchard, 19. "Im very proud of that. The whole team was very excited all week." Bouchard agreed to represent her country in the Fed Cup despite her busy international schedule. On Monday, she hops on a plane to Doha, Qatar, where she faces American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the Qatar Open the following day. But Bouchard, whos represented Canada since 2011, thinks thats a small price to pay for wearing the Maple Leaf on her cheek, as she did over the weekend. "I fully embrace it. It comes with the job," she said. "This is where I want to be. I love playing for my country. I try to enjoy every moment when I play for Canada." On Saturday, Bouchard beat the No. 149-ranked Jovana Jaksic 6-1, 6-0 in a dominant performance to give Canada a 2-0 advantage, after her teammate Aleksandra Wozniak of Blainville, Que., defeated Dolonc 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. Canada will now advance to the World Group playoffs, giving the team a chance to advance from the World Group II to a higher division that includes the worlds eight best teams. A draw on Tuesday will determine Canadas next opponent, and whether that tie will be held at home or on the road, when the Fed Cup resumes on April 19. Canadian team captain Sylvain Bruneau had nothing but praise for the rising-star Bouchard. "Shes very patriotic, and people need to recognize that," said Bruneau. "It wont be easy for her (in Doha), but she did it to represent her country. Shes always been there for us." Joining Bouchard (ranked No. 19 in the world) and 274th-ranked Wozniak on the Canadian team were Torontos Sharon Fichman (No. 112) and Ottawas Gabriela Dabrowski (No. 224). Fichman and Dabrowski lost to Serbias Jaksic and Nina Stojanovic 6-2, 3-6, (10-8) in doubles play on Sunday aafternoon. Ronaldo Brazil Jersey. Because Canada had already defeated Serbia in the tie, the match was simply a formality. After each team took a set, and with the 10-point tiebreak tied 8-8, Fichman missed her final two shots to hand Serbia the doubles triumph. But the story of the day was Bouchards singles match. Leading 5-3 in her second set, Bouchard sent the No. 117-ranked Dolonc the wrong way to secure the advantage. She then cemented the victory emphatically with an ace. "I was happy I could stay with her and fight," said Bouchard. "When it counted, I did what I needed to do." She needed less than 20 minutes to take the first set, surrendering just seven points in the process. But Dolonc put up a fight in the second set, breaking Bouchard in the first game. She then held serve to force a 2-2 tie. "It was a closer battle (in the second). She came up with some good points, and I had a few unforced errors," said Bouchard, who settled down after a number of uncharacteristic mistakes. "I tried to win one point at a time and stay in the moment. And that helped me." Bouchard went on to win four of the next five games to seal the victory. "The tempo was very high," said Dolonc of the 59-minute match. "There was constant pressure on me. I was too late all the time. It was really quick. It was tough for me to find my game." Bouchards victory meant that Wozniak could skip her singles match. "They deserved this win," said Serbian captain Dejan Vranes of Canadas overall victory. "Simply, they were the best. I wish them luck. They deserve to be in the World Group next year." Vranes team took to the court minus such established stars as Jelena Jankovic (ranked eighth in the world), Ana Ivanovic (No. 12), and Bojana Jovanovski (No. 41). While Ivanovic and Jovanovski are dealing with minor injuries, Jankovic recently chose to retire from international play. Bruneau doesnt think the absence of those great Serbian players diminishes what Canada did over the weekend. "These players played with all their heart on the court," said Bruneau. "They played for Canada, they played for themselves, and they played for the team. And they gave it their all." cheap jerseys from china ' ' '
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. Cheap MLB Jerseys For Sale . -- Will ONeill is making a name for himself in the American Hockey Leagues Calder Cup playoffs. The second-year pro is tied for the league lead with 10 post-season assists. Hes playing key minutes for a defence that is allowing fewer than two goals a game. Just about the only thing missing from his resume was a goal. ONeill fixed that in a dramatic way Thursday night, breaking a scoreless tie late in the second period and assisting on the winner in the third as the St. Johns Ice Caps won a third straight game in the Eastern Conference finals, beating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2-1 in Game 4 Thursday night. The IceCaps can advance to the Calder Cup finals with a win in Game 5 on Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre. "It feels nice to get a goal, but it feels great to win," ONeill said. "Weve got a long way ahead of us here, but well enjoy it for a little bit." Josh Lunden also scored for the IceCaps, who went 2 for 9 on the power play. "I thought we did a good job drawing penalties, getting to the net," ONeill said. "Thats the key to getting to any goalie." Brian Dumoulin scored a third-period goal for the Penguins, who went scoreless on six power-play opportunities. "Our power play had some good looks, but at the end of the day, myself and our unit definitely have to put some in the back of the net," Dumoulin said. "Its not just getting chances anymore. We have to score." The Penguins were called for six minor penalties in the second period, contributing to a massive 19-2 shots advantage for the IceCaps in the period. Penguins goalie Peter Mannino stopped the first 18 shots he faced, but the 19th was a one-timer from ONeill from the top of the left faceoff circle that trickled past his pads with 26.1 seconds left in the period. ONeills goal came on a 5-on-3 advantage after centre Zach Sill took a double minor for high-sticking IceCaps winger Andrew Gordon with 1:07 left in the period while the Penguins were already killing a penalty. "We were getting a lot of chances," ONeill said. "It was just a matter of time before one went our way. We had a 5-on-3, had good traffic at the net and we buried one." The Penguins tied the score 1-1 at 6:49 of the third when a Dumoulin shot from the blue-line that looked to be headed well wide of the left post hit defenceman Brenden Kichton and skipped past goalie Michael Hutchinson. The Penguins took another penalty less than a minute later, however, and St. Johns retook the lead with a second power-play goal. Lunden collected the rebound of an ONeill shot behind the net and wrapped it inside the post with 10:41 left. "They had some momentum going their way," ONeill said. "It was good to draw a penalty, get back into it and bury one on the power play." MLB Jerseys From China . -- Michael Frazier II scored 14 points, highly touted freshman Chris Walker had two crowd-pleasing dunks in his debut and No.Cheap MLB Jerseys Free Shipping . That led me to go back and look at the years Halladay and Hamels were drafted. Oddly enough, they were both chosen 17th overall in the June draft; Halladay in 1995 and Hamels in 2002. The player drafted immediately ahead of Halladay was pitcher Joe Fontenot by the San Francisco Giants. He was later one of three prospects traded to the Marlins for closer Robb Nen, who went on to save 206 games over the next five years before calling it a career with 314 total saves. LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Quarterback Jay Cutler looks just about ready to play for the Chicago Bears. For linebacker Lance Briggs, the wait might go on. Coach Marc Trestman is optimistic Cutler will return from an ankle injury this week against the Cleveland Browns. He was set to work with the receivers after Wednesdays walkthrough, and Trestman said the Bears will know Thursday if hes ready to start. "Were not going to let it hang through the week," he said. "The starter tomorrow has got to get the work. So well make that decision tomorrow." Cutler has missed the past four games with a high left ankle sprain and also sat out one with a groin injury. Veteran Josh McCown has played well in his place, but the Bears have repeatedly said they will go with Cutler once hes ready. Briggs, meanwhile, has missed the past six games because of a broken shoulder, and the odds that hell suit up against the Browns appear slim. Briggs return would be a huge lift for an injury-ravaged defence that cant stop the run. He was expected to sit out about six weeks after he was injured against Washington on Oct. 20, but the recovery has stretched longer. The Bears clearly miss him. Their defence ranks 27th overall and last against the run, and theyve allowed 198 yards rushing or more in five of the past seven games. "Its not just the intangibles that he brings in terms of leadership and experience and things like that, in confidence," defensive co-ordinator Mel Tucker said. "But he can actually make plays. He can win one-on-one; he can get off blocks. He can run ssideline to sideline. Cheap MLB Jerseys China. He can win one-on-one on running backs on blitzes and things like that. Hes an excellent blitzer. "In the pass game, hes quick, very instinctive. Hes quick to diagnose and because of ... his experience, theres not a whole lot of plays he hasnt seen at some point in time." Whether the Bears have missed Cutler is open to debate, the way McCown is playing. With a 109.8 rating in seven games, McCown trails only Philadelphias Nick Foles (120) and Denvers Peyton Manning (114.5), and his performance in Mondays romp over Dallas might have been his best yet. He became the first player in franchise history with three straight 300-yard passing games, throwing for 348 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. He also ran for one, getting spun like a helicopter as he leaped into the end zone, and the Bears scored on their first eight possessions to jump back into the playoff race. Theyre tied with Detroit for the NFC North lead at 7-6, although the Lions swept them for the tiebreaker, and there have been some calls for the Bears to stick with the hot hand at quarterback. After all, McCown has thrown for more than 1,800 yards and completed nearly 67 per cent of his passes. He has 13 touchdowns and just one interception, but Cutlers numbers arent shabby, either. Hes thrown for just over 1,900 yards, and his 88.4 rating is the highest since he arrived from Denver before the 2009 season. The message the past few weeks has been consistent. Trestman and McCown have repeatedly said Cutler will start when hes ready. 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PORTLAND, Ore. cheap jerseys from china . -- Will Sheehey had two options when he grabbed the loose ball: back it out and play for the final shot of regulation, or take the open jumper. Indiana coach Tom Crean wanted the Hoosiers to be aggressive on Saturday, and Sheehey was paying attention. The sophomore forward made a 15-footer from the baseline with 12.7 seconds left after a shot was blocked right to him, and the fourth-seeded Hoosiers beat 12th-seeded VCU 63-61 on Saturday to reach the NCAA tournaments round of 16 for the first time in a decade. Welcome back Indiana. "Its been a constant grind for us ever since the end of last year," Christian Watford said. "Weve been working hard and we did a great job with adversity, and it feels great to be in this position." Indiana (27-8) trailed by as many as nine at 57-48 and held VCU to just four points the final 12 1/2 minutes. When Rob Brandenbergs open look at a potential winning 3 rimmed off, the Hoosiers were finally able to celebrate their first trip to the regional semifinals since 2002. Next up is a rematch with top-seeded Kentucky in Atlanta. The Hoosiers last-second win over the Wildcats back in December announced their return to the national stage. Saturdays victory and the trip to the round of 16 is another milestone in Creans rebuilding job from the decimated program he inherited four years ago. "All college basketball teams work really hard," Crean said. "But these guys have had to come from a long way, a long way, and Im proud of them." Watford and Cody Zeller had 16 points apiece for the Hoosiers. Watford was huge at the end of the first half, scoring the final eight points after VCU had threatened to run away during a frenetic first 20 minutes. Zeller stepped up late with his first field goal since the middle of the first half with 2:55 left. But while those two were the scoring leaders, they became secondary figures in the final seconds. The first star for Indiana was Victor Oladipo. After Bradford Burgess missed two foul shots that could have given VCU a five-point lead with about a minute left, Oladipo made an aggressive sprint to the basket and converted a tying three-point play with 46.5 seconds left. When Troy Daniels missed a 3 for VCU, Indiana had a chance at the lead. Instead of calling timeout, Oladipo tried to get to the rim, but was blocked by Darius Theus. The loose ball bounced to Sheehey and he knocked down his only basket of the second half. "I thought the momentum was on our side. We had made a little comeback there. And Im comfortable shooting at that range," Sheehey said. "It was pretty open, so I decided to take it." VCU (29-7) had one last chance. Theus drove aggressively into the lane and passed out to Brandenberg, but his 3 bounced on the rim and came off as the buzzer sounded. "The guys really executed the plan in that play," VCU coach Shaka Smart said. "Rob got a wide open shot in front of our bench. Ill take that shot every day of the week." Burgess led VCU (29-7) with 15 points, but he had just three in the second half. Brandenberg added 13 off the bench and Troy Daniels scored 10, only to be left crouched on the floor long after the buzzer in disbelief. VCU had seen that stunned reaction before, but it belonged to its opponents most of the time over the last two NCAA tournaments. And for most of Saturday it appeared Indiana was going to be the latest storied program to go down against the Rams. Indiana survived a season-high 22 turnovers. It shot just 36 per cent in the second half but was able to move on because of its own defensive effort that limited VCU to just seven second-half field goals and 30 3-point attempts. "Im sure it was a great basketball game for people to watch from the stands. It was really a great game for me, as well, because I got to see this game, the last six or seven minutes through our players eyes," Crean said. "And they were so locked in and had such great resolve to never panic and to just truly believe that they were going to win." cheap jerseys . NBA owners unanimously approved the appointment of Tatum, a 15-year veteran of the league office, on Thursday. He will also have the title of chief operations officer. wholesale jerseys . 1 goalie for Tuesdays all-Ontario showdown, hoping that James Reimer can build on the solid work put in this month by Jonas Gustavsson.ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- Mark Webber managed to outshine his Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel, beating the four-time world champions time right at the end of qualifying to take pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday. 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. "Good day," Webber said, who clocked 1 minute, 39.957 seconds. Vettel timed 1:40.075. "It was a good lap on a track that, in the past, hasnt been super invigorating for me in terms of layout but we certainly enjoyed qualifying today. I knew I had to work on certain sections of the track which Sebastian had already been doing a good job there, so I needed to match him and keep the areas where I was still doing well." Vettel, who already has his fourth straight F1 title, took pole in four of the past five races. "I did what I could today but it wasnt enough. Thats why I apologized to the team. I messed up a bit on turn 1, its a tricky corner," Vettel said. "I think its a great result for the team, first of all." Mercedes starts on the second row, with Nico Rosberg ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who spun his car in the closing seconds. "Nico and Lewis looked very strong, especially in Q2," Vettel said. "We found some extra speed in Q3, so congratulations to Mark. He deserved to be on pole, no mistakes." It proved a disappointing afternoon for Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, who failed to make Q3 for the first time this season and starts from 11th on the grid. Mercedes is battling with Ferrari for second place in the constructors championship behind Red Bull, which has already won the title. Mercedes leads Ferrari by 313-309, with Lotus back in fourth with 285. "Third place, best of the rest, which is our target for this weekend," Rosberg said. "The constructors is what counts for us. So thats a very good result for us." But Mercedes will have to assess what happened to Hamiltons car. nfl jerseys china. "Something gave way on the right-hand side," Hamilton said. "I was going through the chicane and it snapped out. I tried to pull away and it wouldnt move." Hamilton has won one race this season -- clinching victory at the Hungarian GP from pole position in July -- but has not managed a podium finish in his past five outings. "This is a very difficult circuit to overtake on so being at the front means everything," Hamilton said. "Hopefully we can get a good start and maybe still challenge for podium positions." Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen qualified in fifth spot but was demoted to the back of the grid after his car failed a post-qualifying floor deflection test. Lotus successfully argued that floor damage caused by track kerbing led to a similar failure by Lotus driver Romain Grosjean at the Hungarian GP, but this time their explanation was not accepted. Raikkonens exclusion elevates Saubers Nico Hulkenberg to fifth place and moves Ferraris Felipe Massa up to seventh and teammate Alonso back into the top 10. It has been a frustrating weekend for 2007 champion Raikkonen, who on Friday made a rare public outburst over unpaid wages and threatened not to race in the final two races of the season. Meanwhile, Alonsos qualifying form has been so bad that he has not even made the second row since qualifying third for the Bahrain GP in April. Massa, meanwhile, has made the top three only once, qualifying in second spot for the Malaysian GP a month earlier. Because qualifying and the race itself are held at twilight, when the track is considerably cooler at sunset, only a limited amount of useful data could be gained from early afternoon practice runs, when the daily temperature peaked. But Ferrari continued to struggle on the twisty circuit, just as it did on Friday, with Fernando Alonso down in 11th and Felipe Massa placing 14th in the final practice run. The design of the track, with its long, sharp turns and hairpin bends, exposes the lack of traction on the Ferraris, an ongoing problem this season and last. Neither Ferrari driver finished higher than eighth over the three practice runs. cheap jerseys from china ' ' '
WINNIPEG -- Robert Marve knows that when you give Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans something to cheer about, you feel the love. Cheap nfl Jerseys . Marve is one of three quarterbacks coach Mike OShea says are in the running to back up starter Drew Willy for the Bombers. He spent a scant few minutes on the field last Thursday at the end of a 24-22 loss to the Toronto Argonauts but didnt waste a second. He rushed for 17 yards and connected with three out of four passes, including one for a touchdown to rookie receiver Donavon Kemp. It game fans a reason to cheer, and they responded in person and on Twitter. "I did get some Bomber love," he said Thursday after practice. "That was nice. The fans are awesome and I appreciate all the support." Marve will get another chance to play Saturday when the Bombers visit the Calgary Stampeders in Calgary, but coach Mike OShea couldnt say how much. "Well see all four," he said. "Now how the times broken down, well see how it all plays out. But the plan right now is, as I said yesterday, to give Drew all the time he needs to feel comfortable and for the offence to get comfortable with him." Willy also didnt sound too concerned Thursday about how much time he will get as the team plays its last pre-season game before their CFL home opener against the Argonauts June 26. He had two seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a backup capacity and at least on Thursday was getting a lot more playing time in practice. OShea insists the role of backup in Winnipeg is still very much up for grabs. In terms of CFL experience, Max Hall would seem to have the inside track. He finished last season as the pivot the Bombers turned too most often as they struggled to find a way to win. But they also brought in Marve and Brian Brohm to audition. At just 25, Marve is the youngest of the three. A high-school star in Florida, his college career was marred by three operations to repair three tears of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Likely as a result, he was undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft but attended the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. He insists his knee feels better after this last operation than it has since it was first injured and he doesnt let the injury in any way dictate how hes going to play. "No, Im a loose cannon. I cant play holding anything back. And as you kind of saw on that one drive Im a pump up guy. I like to run around and make some things happen. "So I felt good in the game. My knee felt fine when I was running so Im ready to go physically." His last operation was about a year ago and he finished his college career at Purdue before having it. Among the cuts the Bombers announced Thursday was their No. 1 draft pick in 2012, offensive lineman Tyson Pencer. Although Pencer, who was taken third overall in that years CFL draft, has spent much of his time with the Bombers on an injured list, OShea said they have seen enough to know he was not going to make the team. They also released import defensive linemen Stafford Gatling and Louis Nzegwu, import offensive lineman Quentin Saulsberry and another draft pick, defensive back Kris Robertson, who they selected in the second round last year. Cheap Jerseys .ca Fantasy Editor Scott Cullen and NFL Editors Mitch Ward and Ben Fisher discuss three hot fantasy football topics. wholesale nfl jerseys . Ward stole a pair of goals from Winnipeg centre Bryan Little in the first period, beginning with a pad save during a Jets two-man advantage and then displaying his quickness with a highlight-reel stick stop. PHILADELPHIA -- Al Jefferson tried to explain how hitting his jumper forces defences to change their approach. "It keeps them on their toes, in my opinion," Jefferson said before being cut off. "It dont change nothing," reserve Jannero Pargo chimed in from two lockers down, "he aint going to pass the ball." Much like his first-half shooting, Jeffersons retort was nearly flawless. "Well if I pass it to you, Ill get a turnover, because youll be on the bench," he said. With a one-liner about as sharp as his stat line, Jefferson had his Bobcats teammates howling. Jefferson had every reason to feel loose, with 25 points and 10 rebounds in Charlottes 123-93 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. "This is all the time," a smiling Jefferson said of the locker room banter. So are the big wins lately for Charlotte. Perhaps Charlotte is getting hot at the right time, winning by 30-plus points for the second time in six games. "Lets hope theres a couple more," coach Steve Clifford said. Gary Neal scored 15 points to help the Bobcats inch closer to a playoff berth. The Bobcats (37-38) have the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference. They are 4 1/2 games ahead of the eighth-place New York Knicks and need three wins in the final seven games to clinch their first playoff berth since 2010. The Bobcats are counting on Jefferson to carry them deep into April -- and possibly beyond. "It falls a lot on me," Jefferson said. "Ive only been twice (to the playoffs), but twice is more than a lot of the other guys have been." The Bobcats raced to a 13-point lead in the first quarter, stretched it to 35 and never once let the Sixers threaten. Michael Carter-Williams scored 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting for the Sixers, who have lost two straight since snapping an NBA-record tying 26-game losing streak on Saturday. The Bobcats set the tone in the first quarter en route to putting away the lowly Sixers. Led by Jefferson, the Bobcats made 11 of their first 15 shots and ffinished with nine assists on 12 baskets. Cheap Jerseys free shipping. Jefferson picked up where he left off in March, when he was named Eastern Conference player of the month. He averaged 24.7 points on 56 per cent shooting (178-321), 10.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He was the first Bobcat to ever win the award. He kept his sharp shooting rolling in the first game of April with a 13-point first quarter. "Its important to set a tone that youre going to play through him early in the game," Clifford said. Jefferson finished 9 of 17 from the floor and made 7 of 10 free throws. He has 20-plus points and 10-plus boards in the same game 23 times this season. Even in a season that has them with the second-worst record in the NBA, this was as bad as the Sixers have played in weeks. Trailing by 13, the Sixers had five turnovers and only four baskets. They missed all seven 3-point attempts in the first half and finished 4 of 18 overall. The Sixers had two starters go scoreless in the half. "They beat us up pretty bad," Carter-Williams said. Charlotte, one of the few teams to lose to the Sixers this season, broke the game open with a 22-8 run in the second. Anthony Tolliver, who scored 16 points, hit a pair of 3s during the spurt and the Bobcats cruised from there. "Thats a team getting ready for the playoffs," Sixers guard Tony Wroten said. "You can tell a big difference." The Bobcats continued doing the big things that have them within striking distance of Washington for sixth place. They had only nine turnovers (average a league-low 12.3), outrebounded the Sixers 47-32 and had three bench players score double digits. NOTES: Charlotte F Josh McRoberts (left ankle) sat out. Cody Zeller scored nine points in his first career start. ... 76ers coach Brett Brown again said that injured rookie F Nerlens Noel likely will not play at all this season. "Theres so much to weigh out if were smart with this, and we will be," he said. ... The Bobcats finished one-point shy of matching their season-high point total. cheap jerseys from china ' ' '
TORONTO -- Liam Underwood could have been playing for Queens University on the weekend, looking to take down the Western Mustangs in the OUA rugby final. Arthur Lynch dolphins jersey . Instead the 22-year-old fly half found himself starting for Canada against the New Zealand Maori All Blacks. The Kiwis, a renowned invitational side of Maori descent, showed their superiority in scoring six tries en route to a 40-15 win Sunday over a depleted Canadian side. "Theyre fast," said Underwood, a fourth-year economics student from Toronto. "Thats the fastest rugby Ive played in a long time. Or ever, probably." Making just his third start while earning his sixth cap for Canada, Underwood survived a crunching 14th-minute tackle that may have had friends and family cringing in the stands. "Thats rugby," he said with a smile later. "You get hit." He also noted that his Queens team hadnt needed him in the OUA final, defeating the Mustangs 40-10. Both Canada and the Maori made plenty of mistakes. That was perhaps not surprising for a Maori side that only had a few practices under its belt since coming together a week ago. But for Canada, it probably demonstrated what can happen under the pressure of facing elite opposition. Jamison Gibson-Park, a late addition to the Maori starting lineup when veteran scrum half Piri Weepu was ruled out in the pre-game warmup with a knee problem sustained in training, scored two tries for the visitors. Zac Guildford, Robbie Robinson, Matt Proctor and Nick Barrett also scored tries for the Maori. Andre Taylor and Robinson each kicked two conversions with Ihaia West contributing another conversion. Guildford was named man of the match. Jeff Hassler and captain Aaron Carpenter scored tries for Canada. Underwood contributed a penalty and a conversion. While Canada lost, you could argue Canadian rugby still emerged a winner. A sellout crowd of 22,566, on a sunny, crisp six-degree day at BMO Field, probable made Toronto FC think back to what once was. And the Canadians open style of play drew praise from the visitors. "They played really well, especially in that first 40 (minutes), they shocked us with their style of attack," said Maori captain and fly half Tim Bateman, a veteran of 50-plus Super Rugby games. "We expected them to be a little more narrow and brutal, but they played with a lot of width and a lot of intensity and they probably caught us off-guard for a large part of the game." While Maori coach Colin Cooper acknowledged his team was rusty, he too applauded Canada. "Canada defended very well and they surprised us with their width and the way they attacked," Cooper said. "And we had to defend a lot more accurately than we should have. Bateman was also complimentary of the Canadian fans. "This crowd was outstanding. It really was. It was loud, it was vocal. It made it really tough for our calls. We mucked up quite a few times because of the crowd." Canadian coach Kieran Crowley, a former New Zealand international, saw positives but was left to lament errors and missed chances against a fully professional side. "That was the difference between the teams, I think. When they got an opportunity, they converted it. When we got an opportunity, we didnt quite nail it." Canada started well and took an early 5-0 lead but the Maori began to turn the screws. While the Canadian scrum withstood the New Zealand challenge, the visitors edge in skills began to take its toll and Canada trailed 19-5 at the half. "We played a lot of rugby in that first half. Our skill level just let us down a couple of times," said Crowley. The Canadians continued to show grit in the second half but Maori pressure eventually paid dividends as the visitors piled on the score with 14 points in the last 10 minutes. "We gave away three soft tries in the second half," Crowley said. The Maori are not to be confused with the world champion All Blacks, New Zealands national team which opened its November Northern Hemisphere tour Saturday with a 54-6 win over No. 15 Japan. The Maori side has added All Blacks to its name for branding reasons. Weepu, who did not see action and limped to the dressing room after the game, still led the haka -- a traditional pre-game challenge. The Maori performed it in the shape of an arrowhead, while the Canadians looked on from the halfway line. The Maori have their own haka, distinct from those of the All Blacks. Called Timatanga, it was written especially for the team by elders. Canadian forward Tyler Ardron said facing the haka was like getting a loud rugby wakeup call. "Its gives you like a pinpoint time when that games going to start," he said. "You know that theyre going to bring it and youre going to have to match it." The Maori starting 15 Sunday featured four All Blacks in winger Guildford (19), prop Ben Afeaki (1), hooker Hikawera Elliot (3) and lock Jarrad Hoeata (3). Elliot left midway through the first half due to injury. They also showcased some future All Blacks, including 21-year-olds Gibson-Park and West. Gibson-Park plays Super Rugby for the Auckland Blues while fly half West was one of the stars of the recent ITM Cup competition with Hawkes Bay. Their play will be noted. The Maori are closely monitored by the All Blacks, whose braintrust now plays a role in selection. Outside of the Rugby World Cup, Sundays match was about as high-profile as it gets for Canadian rugby. In addition to the sellout crowd, the game was televised live in Canada and New Zealand (where the kickoff was 7 a.m. local time) and streamed live on the International Rugby Boards website. Unfortunately for Crowley, a former New Zealand international, Canadas starting 15 was nowhere near its strongest. Because of injuries, personal commitments and the fact that the match falls outside the IRBs international window, Canada was without such key players as Jebb Sinclair, Jamie Cudmore, James Pritchard, Phil Mackenzie and DTH van Der Merwe. Another half-dozen players were also missing, with Crowley forced to assemble a forward pack missing four of his top second-rowers. Canadas bench was also green, while the Maori had plenty of fully professional weapons. As a Tier 2 nation, Canada no longer plays rugbys elite outside of the World Cup. The last time they met, at the 2011 world championship, New Zealand thumped the Canadians 79-15. The 14th-ranked Canadians leave Monday for a European tour for test matches against No. 16 Georgia in Tbilisi on Saturday, No. 17 Romania in Bucharest on Nov. 16 and No. 22 Portugal in Lisbon on Nov. 23. They will be reinforced by several of their European-based pros. The Canadians will likely board the plane with more than few bumps and bruises. The Maori head to Philadelphia to play the 18th-ranked U.S. Eagles on Saturday. --- Canada Hubert Buydens, Manawatu Turbos (New Zealand), Saskatoon, Ray Barkwill, Niagara Wasps, Niagara Falls, Ont.; Doug Wooldridge, Lindsay RFC, Lindsay, Ont,; Jon Phelan, Lille Metropole Rugby (France) Montreal; Tyler Ardron Ospreys (Wales), Lakefield, Ont.; Nanyak Dala, Castaway Wanderers, Saskatoon; John Moonlight, James Bay AA, Pickering, Ont.; Aaron Carpenter (capt.), Cornish Pirates (England), Brantford, Ont.; Phil Mack, James Bay AA, Victoria; Liam Underwood, Queens University, Toronto; Conor Trainor, UBCOB Ravens, Vancouver; Harry Jones, Capilano RFC, West Vancouver; Ciaran Hearn, Castaway Wanderers, Conception Bay, N.L.; Jeff Hassler, Ospreys (Wales), Okotoks, Alta.; Matt Evans, Cornish Pirates (England), Maple Bay, B.C. Reserves Jake Ilnicki, Williams Lake Rustlers, Williams Lake, B.C.; Ryan March, Abbotsford RFC, Abbotsford, B.C.; Aaron Flagg, Abbotsford RFC, Abbotsford, B.C.; Kyle Gilmour, St. Albert Rugby Club, Edmonton; Adam Kleeberger, Castaway Wanderers, White Rock, B.C.; Jamie Mackenzie, UVIC Vikes, Oakville, Ont.; Pat Parfrey, Swilers RFC, St. Johns, N.L.; Connor Braid, James Bay AA, Victoria. Maori All Blacks Kane Hames, Hikawera Elliot, Ben Afeaki, Jarrad Hoeata, Joe Wheeler, Liam Squire, Luke Braid, Elliot Dixon, Jamison Gibson-Park, Tim Bateman (capt.), Zac Guildford, Jackson Willison, Charlie Ngatai, Andre Taylor, Robbie Robinson. Reserves Chris Eves, Nick Barrett, Ash Dixon, Piri Weepu, Blade Thomson, Shane Christie, Ihaia West, Matt Proctor. Earl Mitchell dolphins jersey. Chris Wroblewski added 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the win for Cornell (10-18, 6-8 Ivy), while Anthony Gatlin finished with 10 points. Greg Mangano posted a game-high 18 points to lead the way for Yale (15-13, 8-6), which also saw 11 points from Austin Morgan. Derrick Shelby dolphins jersey . The former New York Jets quarterback was in the trainers room on Sept. 11, 2001, and had trouble making sense of the gaping, smoke-spewing hole in one of the Twin Towers.BETHESDA, Md. -- Justin Rose has won enough times on the strongest golf courses to appreciate how one mistake can make a difference. He got away with one Sunday at Congressional to win the Quicken Loans National. Shawn Stefani did not. With the poise and the putting touch of a U.S. Open champion, Rose atoned for a 4-iron he hit into the water on the 18th hole to make a 15-foot bogey putt that got him into a playoff and gave him new life. On the 18th hole in the playoff, Stefani hit the same type of shot that rolled into the same pond left of the green. There are no second chances in a sudden-death playoff. Rose won with a par on the first extra hole for his first victory since the U.S. Open last summer at Merion. This one required about as much work, with Congressional far more difficult and unrelenting than when it hosted a soggy U.S. Open three years ago. "Congressional got its reputation back after the U.S. Open," Rose said. "I really enjoy this type of golf and this type of test. I think it tested all of us. Im delighted." The Englishman was far from delighted after thinking he had thrown this one away. Tied for the lead as he played the 18th, Rose tried to squeeze a 4-iron through a tiny gap in the trees from 209 yards away, playing toward the right side of the green for a chance at par. Instead, he turned it over and realized when he jogged toward the fairway that it was headed for the water. His caddie, Mark Fulcher, told Rose that Stefani had just made bogey behind them on the 17th. "Everything else was forgotten at that point," Rose said. "I wiped the slate clean and just focused on my putt on 18. An amazing feeling in any sort of championship when you make a putt like that. That means something. Thats special. "And then the playoff, it was just up to me to not do what I did the first time around." He left that to Stefani, who had drilled his tee shot in regulation and narrowly missed a 20-foot birdie putt for his first PGA Tour victory. In the playoff, Stefani pulled his tee shot in the trees and got relief from grandstands blocking his view of the green. He chose a 6-iron to punch it around the trees. "The grass closed the club down," Stefani said, "and it went left into the water. I was trying to play it down the right side and have a chance at a putt, two putts for a par. Thats the way it goes. It was great to have a chance to win." Both closed with a 1-under 70 and finished at 4-under 280 on a course that looked like a U.S. Open, and played like onee the way so many contenders -- seven players had at least a share of the lead at one point -- tumbled down the leaderboard. Jimmy Wilson dolphins jersey. Only six players broke par in the final round. And it was only the second time this year that the winning score was higher than the 36-hole lead (6 under). That also happened at Torrey Pines, which like Congressional, previously hosted a U.S. Open. No one crashed harder than Patrick Reed, who had a two-shot lead to start the final round, still had a two-shot lead at the turn and didnt even finish in the top 10. He made back-to-back double bogeys, shot 41 on the back and closed with a 77 to tie for 11th. "This definitely burns and definitely gets me more fired up for more events coming up," Reed said. Even though he got a reprieve with the clutch bogey putt, Rose looked like a U.S. Open champion the way he put himself into position. He hit 5-iron to 5 feet for one of only four birdies on the 11th hole Sunday. Staring at potential bogey from deep rough on the 14th, he boldly hit 3-wood up the hill and between the deep bunkers to the middle of the green. It was a par, but Rose called the 3-wood his "shot of the day." And before his blunder on the 18th, he holed an 8-foot sliding par putt on the 17th. "I felt like all aspects of my game were tested this week, and its really nice to win in that fashion," Rose said. Stefani, whose only major experience was at Merion last year, plodded along like a U.S. Open veteran with one par after another. He joined Rose in the lead with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 16th. So many others fell back. Brendon Todd was tied for the lead until a double bogey in the water on the 10th. Marc Leishman three-putted for bogey on No. 7 and made bogey on the easiest par 4 at Congressional. Brendan Steele made a late rally, only to take on too much from the rough on the 18th and find the water for double bogey. This was the first British Open qualifier on the PGA Tour -- the leading four players not already exempt from the top 12 at Congressional get into Royal Liverpool next month. Stefani earned one spot as the runner-up. Charley Hoffman (69) and Ben Martin (71) each birdied two of the last three holes to tie for third. Steele got the last spot with a 71 that put him in a three-way tie for third with Andres Romero and Todd, who already is exempt. Steele earned the spot over Romero because he has a higher world ranking. Romero closed with a 68, the low score in a final round when the scoring average was 73.7. cheap jerseys from china ' ' '
CHARLOTTETOWN -- Cassidy Carels scored twice and set up one more as the Pembina Valley Hawks defeated the Thunder Bay Queens 4-2 on Saturday to win gold at the 2012 Esso Cup. cheap jerseys from china . Lauryn Keen had a goal and two assists for the Hawks while Jessica Kaminsky scored the other. Madison Hutchinson picked up two assists for Pembina Valley to give her a team-leading eight points in six games. Kaitlyn Tougas had a goal and an assist for the Queens, who were champions in 2010. Michela Cava scored once and Bronwyn Bolduc assisted on both of her clubs goals. Brittini Mowat earned Pembina Valley player of the game honours after making 35 saves for the victory while Megan Leikkari stopped 15 shots in a losing effort. Pembina Valley went 2 for 5 on the power play as Thunder Bay failed to score on three chances with the man advantage. In the bronze medal game, Brett Campbell scored twice in the third period as the Edmonton Thunder beat the Halifax Metro Boston Pizza 4-1. Its the second year in a row that Edmonton has won bronze and third straight with a medal. Jessica Sekulic and Rachel Johnson also scored for the Thunder while Cambell picked up an assist for a three-point performance that earned her Edmontons player of the game. Amanda Volcko scored the lone goal for Halifax. Kianna Peterson made 14 saves for the win as Rebecca Weagle turned away 21 shots in defeat. Edmonton went 1 for 5 on the power play while Halifax failed to score on four chances with the man advantage. cheap nfl jerseys . Washington obtained right-hander Doug Fister from Detroit for infielder Steve Lombardozzi and left-handers Robbie Ray and Ian Krol on Monday. wholesale jerseys . The six-foot-one, 198-pound Blomstrand has played 44 games this season in Swedens second-tier Allsevenkan league. He collected eight penalty minutes in 14 games with Djurgardens and 19 points (13 goals, six assists) in 30 games with Almtuna, ranking third in goals.TORONTO -- The Toronto Argonauts re-signed kicker/punter Swayze Waters to a two-year contract on Wednesday. Waters, who became a free agent on Tuesday, elected to stay with the team he has been a part of since the 2012 season. The club also announced the release of veteran kicker/punter Noel Prefontaine. The 26-year-old Waters won the Grey Cup with Toronto in 2012, connecting on 32 of 43 field-goal attempts. "We believe Swayze Waters has arguably the strongest leg in the CFL," Argonauts general manager Jim Barker said in a statement. "He has been a reliable player for our team and is a proven competitor." A native of Jackson, Miss., Waters was hurt in the 2013 home opener but returned later in the season to go 18 for 25 on field-goal attempts, including a long of 50 yards. "I am extremely happy to be staying in the Argonaut family," said Waters. "The team, fans and city have made this place feel like home and I am grateful. wholesale nfl jerseys. " Prior to joining the Argos, Waters spent time in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions. A 16-year CFL veteran, Prefontaine spent parts of 14 seasons with Toronto. The 40-year-old from Camp Pendleton, Calif., was 15 of 24 last season on field-goal attempts for the Argonauts in Swayzes absence. The Argonauts also re-signed non-import offensive lineman Wayne Smith and signed 2013 first-round pick Matt Sewell. A 33-year-old Toronto native, Smith agreed to a two-year contract with the Argonauts. Sewell, a 24-year-old offensive lineman from Milton, Ont., signed on for the next three seasons. Smith, a 10-year CFL veteran, has been with the Argonauts since 2012. He has also spent time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Saskatchewan Roughriders. Smith was the first overall pick in the 2004 CFL Canadian college draft. cheap jerseys from china ' ' '
NYON, Switzerland - UEFA says it has opened disciplinary proceedings against FC Basel after the Swiss sides fans threw fireworks onto the pitch during a Europa League match against Salzburg, causing a brief suspension of play. Fred Jersey . The incident occurred in the first half of Basels 2-1 victory in the last-16 second leg in Austria, which put the team through to the quarter-finals. The match referee decided to take the players off the pitch for about 10 minutes. UEFA says in a statement on Friday that Basel was being disciplined for the "setting-off and throwing of fireworks and improper conduct of the team." UEFAs control and disciplinary body will deal with the matter on Wednesday. Ronaldinho World Cup Jersey . Pro Bowl centre Maurkice Pouncey ripped up his right knee and linebacker Larry Foote ruptured his biceps during Pittsburghs 16-9 home loss to Tennessee, likely sidelining both players for the rest of the season. Victor Soccer Jersey . JOHNS, N. WASHINGTON -- Adding a front-court piece in hopes of finally returning to the playoffs, the Washington Wizards acquired centre Marcin Gortat from the Phoenix Suns in a multiplayer trade Friday. Phoenix got injured centre Emeka Okafor and a top-12-protected first-round draft pick in 2014 -- giving the rebuilding Suns potentially four choices in the opening round. The Suns also sent guards Kendall Marshall, Shannon Brown and Malcolm Lee to Washington so the deal will work financially. The Wizards are expected to waive all three. The 6-foot-11, 240-pound Gortat averaged 11.1 points and 8.5 rebounds last season. He is entering his eighth NBA season, and has averaged 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds while playing for Orlando, Toronto and Phoenix. In a news release announcing the deal, Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld referred to Gortat as a "very consistent and productive inside presence" who "pushes us further toward our goal of becoming a playoff team." Okafor, the 2004-05 NBA Rookie of the Year, has been sidelined indefinitely by a herniated disk in his neck. He arrived in Washington before last season in a trade from New Orleans. With a young, dynamic pair of guards in John Wall and Bradley Beal, along with rookie small forward Otto Porter, the Wizards were in need of help from a big body as they try to rreach the post-season for the first time since 2007-08. Henrique Jersey. . Washington went 29-53 last season, missing out on the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year. Since their last trip to the post-season -- in 2007-08, when Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler were still on the roster -- the Wizards havent even won 30 games in a season once. They had a low of 19 wins in 2008-09. But theyve overturned the roster in recent years, rebuilding around Wall, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, who recently signed an $80 million extension. Beal and Porter both were the No. 3 overall pick. The Suns, meanwhile, went 25-57 last season and are embarking on a similar project with an eye to the future. Fridays trade is the latest in a flurry of moves by new general manager Ryan McDonough, formerly Danny Ainges top aide with the Boston Celtics. Marshall was the 13th overall choice in the 2012 draft, but the Suns had a glut of guards, including Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe. The Suns now could have their own pick, Indianas and Minnesotas, in addition to Washingtons, in the first round of next years draft, which McDonough said in a news release "is shaping up to be the best draft in a decade." He also made reference to Okafors possible contributions "when and if he is able to return from injury." cheap jerseys from china ' ' '
LONDON -- Michael Laudrup was fired as Swansea manager on Tuesday, paying the price for a slump in the year since delivering the south Wales clubs first major trophy. cheap nfl jerseys . The Dane is leaving the Premier League club after 20 months, having signed a new contract in March 2013 after being linked with leading clubs following his teams triumph in the League Cup. Now, though, Swansea is 12th in the standings but just two points above the relegation zone, prompting the 49-year-old Laudrups dismissal. "It is a decision we have taken reluctantly," chairman Huw Jenkins said. "But its a decision made in the best interests of Swansea City Football Club and our supporters. It is the first time in nearly 10 years that the club has parted with a manager in this way, but we had to remove the constant uncertainty surrounding the club and Michaels long-term future with us." Garry Monk, the 34-year-old defender who has been out injured since September, will replace Laudrup, alongside current first team coach Alan Curtis, "for the foreseeable future," Swansea said. Like Laudrup, two possible contenders for the job on a full-time basis are former Barcelona players who advocate the type of passing game favoured by Swansea; Oscar Garcia, who currently manages second-tier club Brighton, and Luis Enrique, who is in his first season as coach of Celta Vigo. Swanseas next game is the south Wales derby against fierce rival Cardiff at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday. "After thinking long and hard about the best way forward, I felt it was unlikely we would achieve a stable environment at the club (with Laudrup) to allow us to get back to basics and produce the performance levels that have served Swansea City so well over the last few years," Jenkins said. "Now we need to put that uncertainty behind us and move forward as a united football club on all fronts." For Laudrup, whose fortunes have rapidly plummeted since the League Cup success last February, it is the latest setback in a mixed managerial career for the former forward following a successful playing career that took in both Barcelona and Real Madrid. After winning the league and cup in Denmark with Brondby, he guided Getafe to the final of the Copa del Rey -- where they lost to Sevilla -- in his one season with the unheralded Spanish club. Next came a troubled year in Russia with Spartak Moscow before returning to Spain with Mallorca, where he soon fell out with the owners. It was at Swansea where his profile soared, building on the work of predecessor Brendan Rodgers and initially establishing the team as a fixture in the Premier Leagues top 10 with its attractive passing game. But since beating lowly Bradford in the cup final, Swansea has won just eight of out 35 Premier League games across the two seasons and there have been continuous reports about a rift with the hierarchy. cheap jerseys from china . Knapp defeated American Alison Riske 6-3, 7-5 to secure Italys victory in the best-of-five series. She held a 5-2 lead in the second set, only to let Riske tie it at five. wholesale jerseys .com) - The Chicago Bears have agreed to terms with wide receiver Domenik Hixon on a one-year contract.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hi-ya Kerry, I find it amazing that with all the bad calls that were made in Game 3 of the Habs-Lightning series, people are up in arms about possibly the biggest call in the game that was one of the few that was correct. Would you please do us all a favour and explain why that goal was justly disallowed? I really miss having you, Ron, Andy and Don refereeing games. You four were true professionals. Sincerely,Bob (a.k.a. Avro Arrow on TSN.cas comment threads) P.S. - Please put it in laymans terms as I think that the on-air host may have used terminology that most people arent familiar with. LOL Hey Bob: (a.k.a. Avro Arrow) I give young referee Francis Charron kudos for having the courage to correctly apply rule 69.3 and disallow the potential go-ahead goal by Ryan Callahan with 4:22 remaining in the second period and the score tied 1-1. The overriding rational of rule 69 (Interference on the Goalkeeper) is that a goalkeeper should have the ability to move freely within his goal crease without being hindered by the actions of an attacking player. There were two instances of goalkeeper interference by virtue of the rule on the play whereby a goal could not legally be allowed to stand if the puck entered the net. In the first instance Alex Killorn took the puck hard to the net and initiated contact with Carey Price as he attempted to deke and jam the puck into the net. The rotation of Killorns body and subsequent crash into the back of the net was as a result of his skate to pad contact with Price and not as a result of any back door pressure exerted by David Desharnais. (Check the footage closely!) In attempting to make the save and as a result of the contact by Killorn the Montreal goalkeeper was knocked beyond his blue paint and was then struck by a falling Desharnais. If the puck were to have entered the net following the contact initiated by Alex Killorn the goal should immediately be disallowed. As the action continued the referee would only allow a "good goal" once he determined that Price was able to reestablish his position within his goal crease to defend any subseqquent shot following this initial contact from Killorn. cheap jerseys. Price got to his feet and moved laterally across the crease to establish his position and to defend a potential shot by Valtteri Filppula from the left side face-off circle. Alex Killorn was attempting to exit the net behind Price in this same moment and resulted in the second incident of goalkeeper interference inside the crease. This time however the contact was initiated by Price and not through the actions of Alex Killorn. Nonetheless a violation of rule 69.3 occurred; (Rule 69.3 - If a goalkeeper, in the act of establishing his position within his goal crease, initiates contact with an attacking player who is in the goal crease, and this results in an impairment of the goalkeepers ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.) Even though the contact initiated by Price took him deep into left field, it occurred inside the blue paint as Price was "attempting to establish position inside his goal crease" and could only be judged as such by the referee. Price knows this rule better than most goalies in the NHL and that is why he threw himself into Alex Killorn inside the blue paint. Price has utilized this rule to his advantage on at least three occasions in previous games. I demonstrated a great montage of Price initiated contact inside his goal crease on Thats Hockey 2Nite with Steve Kouleas following the Habs-Lightning game. In the footage, Price clearly initiated contact with attacking players inside his crease and in each case the referee immediately disallowed the goal. Players, coaches, former players and fans dont fully understand the rule application or the standard by which the referees are instructed to enforce rule 69. Until this "loophole" in the rule is closed referee Francis Charron and his colleagues will continue to enforce it in the same manner that we saw last night in Montreal. The NHL needs to come out in support of Francis Charron and the gusty, correct call he made. You did what is not only expected but demanded of you kid. In laymens terms Avro Arrow, my best advice to attacking players is to keep out of the blue paint and to especially keep clear of Habs goalie Carey Price! cheap jerseys from china ' ' '
The waiting game continues between Chris Phillips and the Ottawa Senators. cheap jerseys . TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that the two sides are still at an impasse as they try to come to terms on a new contract prior to Wednesdays NHL trade deadline. Dreger reports that it sounds like Phillips would prefer a two-year extension while the club would prefer just a one-year deal. He is currently in the final year of a three-year, $9.25 million contract and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Phillips, 35, has appeared in 50 games with the Senators this season, scoring one goal and 12 assists. The Calgary native was selected first overall at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Senators. He has spent his entire 16-year NHL career in the nations capital and ranks behind only long-time former captain Daniel Alfredsson on the teams all-time games played list. In 1,123 games with the Senators, he has scored 71 goals and 212 assists. cheap jerseys from china . With only 11 players in uniform, just eight of which got into the game, the Raptors spoiled Bryants disappointing season debut just hours after Masai Ujiri pulled off a franchise-altering move. wholesale jerseys . 7 Cincinnati, ending the Bearcats 15-game winning streak. SMU (19-5, 8-3 American Athletic Conference) has already beaten three Top 25 opponents in seven games since moving into the renovated Moody Coliseum on campus five weeks ago.Green Bay, WI - Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will again watch from the sideline on Sunday when his teammates take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers was limited in practice Friday and has not yet been medically cleared to play as the former MVP continues his recovery from a fractured collarbone. Matt Flynn will again get the start Sunday with Rodgers set to miss a seventh straight game. "I thought Aaron Rodgers did everything he possibly could, but this is an organizational decision," said McCarthy on Friday. "As an organization we are not ready for him to play. Im not going to get into ifs and buts and who made what decision. Matt Flynn is the starter and were excited to play the Pittsburgh Steelers." Rodgers has been practicing in earnest each of the last two weeks. He had hoped to play last Sunday against Dallas, but remained sidelined and watched as Flynn rallied the Packers to a 37-36 victory that kept Green Bayss playoff hopes very much alive. wholesale nfl jerseys. The Packers now control their own postseason destiny, as wins over the Steelers and Chicago Bears over the final two weeks would give Green Bay the NFC North title. Flynn has led Green Bay to back-to-back victories, both one-point decisions. The Packers held on for a 22-21 win over Atlanta in Week 14 before last weeks 23-point rally against the Cowboys. Over those two starts, he has completed 50-of-71 passes for 557 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. Rodgers has not played since sustaining his injury on the opening drive of Green Bays eventual 27-20 loss to rival Chicago on Nov. 4. The Packers proceeded to go 0-3-1 over the next four weeks with their star signal-caller on the shelf, before to turning things around the past two games. Packers running back Eddie Lacy was also limited in practice and listed as probable as he battles an ankle issue. Defensive tackle Johnny Jolly wont play because of a shoulder/neck injury. cheap jerseys from china ' ' '
In much the same way that Sidney Crosby reinforced his status as a No. Nick Mangold Jets Jersey . 1 overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, 16-year-old phenom Nathan MacKinnon has a chance to strengthen his own case as the top draft-eligible player next summer when the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament kicks off next week. MacKinnon is one of 40 CHL players participating in a selection camp, which kicked off Friday in Toronto. Twenty-two players will be selected to participate in the annual Under-18 tournament - which will be the beginning of a special year that could capped with him being picked No. 1 in the 2013 NHL Draft. "Its really exciting, we have the best 40 guys in the country here and everybody is working towards putting that maple leaf on," MacKinnon told TSN Radio 1050. "None of us have represented the country internationally, so everyones really excited for it." MacKinnon and Crosby have been linked from an early age. Both are natives of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia and have had similar junior careers thus far. Both played their minor hockey with the Cole Harbour Red Wings before moving on to Shattuck-Saint Marys prep school in Minnesota. And they were both taken with the first overall pick in the QMJHL Draft with immediate success playing junior hockey as 16-year-olds. When asked about the relationship he has with the Penguins captain, MacKinnon had nothing but positive things to say about his hockey hero. "Growing up watching him handle himself both on-and-off the ice, hes definitely really admirable," he said. "Ive got to know him on a personal basis too and my perception of him hasnt changed one bit - hes definitely someone you can look up to." MacKinnon is hopeful his all-around style of play will enable him to crack an NHL lineup as soon as possible. "For me to create offence, I need to get hard on pucks and go hard to the net, so I think I bring some grit to my game along with skill," he said. "Working on that complete package is something that everyone says, but obviously Im really trying to have a really translatable game to the NHL and making it as soon as I can." Despite the comparisons to his hero and all the hype about being a potential No. 1 overall pick, MacKinnon remains focused on making his first under-18 team. "With all the talk, it obviously comes up in my mind a little bit," he said. "But obviously Im not really worried about how high Im going to go. (Im) definitely focusing on one thing right now and thats making the Canadian U-18 team and hopefully getting our fifth straight gold medal." Canadas under-18 team will be led by Kingston Frontenacs head coach and former NHL defenceman Todd Gill. MacKinnon said he has been impressed with Gill so far. "He seems like a hard-nosed coach," MacKinnon said. "Definitely a lot of experience, definitely someone you can learn a lot off of and hopefully bring Canada gold this summer." A young 16-year old - born on Sept. 1 - he was barely 16 when he put up 31 goals and 78 points in his first season with the Halifax Mooseheads. Not much was expected of a young Moosehead team in 2011, but led by MacKinnons 13 goals and 28 points in 17 playoff games, Halifax advanced to the QMJHLs conference finals. MacKinnon is also excited for what the coming year has in store and is expecting the Mooseheads to build upon their success of last season. The Mooseheads are expected to contend for a Memorial Cup berth in 2012 and should they make it, MacKinnon will again be linked to Crosby - who also led his Rimouski Oceanic to the Memorial Cup in his second season of junior. "Were a young team with a lot of potential for this year coming up," he said. "We overachieved last year, so thats always fun – to prove a few critics wrong." Joe Namath Jets Jersey . A 19-game winner with the New York Yankees in both 2006 and 2007, Wang spent most of this year at Triple-A for the Yankees and Blue Jays. The 33-year-old right-hander was 1-2 with a 7. Jeremy Kerley Jets Jersey . A rare measured voice in the turbulent world of English football since arriving last year, Pellegrini finally lost his cool after Tuesdays 2-0 first-leg loss in the round of 16. City had been repelling Barcelona until the start of the second half when Jonas Eriksson sent off Martin Demichelis for fouling Lionel Messi, who then scored from the penalty spot.Sochi, Russia - The closing ceremony of the Sochi Games brought a flashy and tuneful end Sunday night to the most expensive Olympics in history. Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. They opted for human rings this time, the last one opening several seconds after the first four on the floor of the stadium. It echoed the hijinks from Vancouvers closing ceremony four years ago, when a leg of the cauldron that failed to come up during the opening ceremony was finally raised into place. Sundays ceremony at Fisht Olympic Stadium included a handoff from Sochi to Pyeongchang, South Korea, host of the 2018 Winter Games. Near the end, the cauldron that was lit 16 days earlier by Russian Olympic greats Vladislav Tretiak and Irina Rodnina was extinguished after one of the games mascots, an animatronic bear, blew out a flame in the center of the stadium, a single tear dripping from its left eye. Earlier, after a childrens choir conducted by Valery Gergiev sung the Russian national anthem, flag bearers for each country entered the stadium together rather than country by country like in the opening ceremony. The athletes who stuck around for the festivities also came in together, as is customary for the closing ceremony. American ice hockey forward Julie Chu, who competed in her fourth Olympics, carried the U.S. flag. "So proud to represent Team USA (and) our amazing athletes. Humbled," Chu tweeted as she waited to enter the stadium. Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse, who won their second womens bobsled gold medal in a row, were co-flag bearers for Canada. Figure skater Maxim Trankov, a dual gold medalist in Sochi, carried Russias flag. Pop music played, but the ceremony also included a heavy dose of classical music and ballet like the opening ceremony, and a nod to Russian novelists and poets. All of it was done as temperatures hovered in the 40s, a cool close to the so- called Spring Olympics, where the weather was famously mild, with temperatures even climbing into the 60s on some days. That led to some strange scenes, including cross country skiers cutting the sleeves off their uniforms and American skier Julia Mancuso filming a surfing video for NBC on the Black Sea. There was a serious side to the warmer weather, of course, which wreaked havoc on some courses for the snow events. Snowboarders complained about slushy conditions on the halfpipe and the New York Times detailed a clandestine operation by organizers to purchase more salt needed to keep some courses properly iced. Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen set the all-time Winter Olympics record during the games by winning his 12th and 13th medals, both golds. But Russia led the overall medal count with 33, including 13 gold medals to fall one short of the Winter Games record of 14 set by Canada four years ago at the Vancouver Olympics. The U.S. finished second with 28 medals, nine fewer than the Winter Games record 37 they captured in Vancouver. Norway was third overall with 26 medals and Canada won 25, including 10 gold -- the last secured by the mens hockey team on Sunday in a win over Sweden. DBrickashaw Ferguson Jets Jersey. . The Russian anthem played for the last time at the closing ceremony during the medal ceremony for the mens 50-kilometer cross country race. Alexander Legkov led a Russian medal sweep of that event Sunday morning. Sochi organizing committee head Dmitry Chernyshenko called the games "a great moment in our history ... a moment that will never be forgotten." "This is the new face of Russia, our Russia," he said. "And for us, these games are the best ever." Russian President Vladimir Putins $51 billion Olympics were the subject of snickers early on when media and athletes arrived to find some accommodations lacking. Journalists relayed stories of unfinished rooms, broken door handles, missing shower curtains and even stray dogs in their media villages. One was told not to use the water in her bathroom, which was said to contain a dangerous chemical. U.S. bobsledder Johnny Quinn became an Internet sensation after tweeting a picture of his bathroom door, which he had broken through after becoming locked inside. The Twitter account SochiProblems had more than 330,000 followers by the time of Sundays closing ceremony, but the criticism so prevalent in the first days died down, giving way to wide praise of Sochis venues. IOC President Thomas Bach, presiding over his first games, said the athletes left a legacy of "peace, tolerance and respect" and urged, as IOC heads often do, that countries around the world follow the example. Bach thanked Putin for what he said was the Russian presidents "personal commitment to the extraordinary success" of the games. "We leave as friends of the Russian people," said Bach. News broke during the opening ceremony that a plane had been diverted to an airport in Turkey after a passenger on board allegedly issued a bomb threat and tried to have the aircraft redirected to Sochi. The incident further raised fears that Russias first Olympics in 34 years could be the target of a terrorist attack, but the games passed without any such incident. The host country faced criticism in the run-up to the games after passing laws last year aimed at keeping gay "propaganda" away from children, and officials remained adamant throughout that political protests should be kept away from Olympic venues. In the highest-profile incident of its kind, two members of the punk band Pussy Riot were among several people detained for several hours as they planned to film a protest video in Sochi. They set up a day later to film again, but were interrupted by Cossacks who attacked them with whips. The games went without a positive doping test until the final weekend, when there were six. In the last case, Swedish hockey star Nicklas Backstrom was scratched from the gold medal game Sunday after testing positive for a banned substance found in allergy medication his NHL team said he has been taking for seven years to combat severe allergies. The Washington Capitals said the medication was approved by the Swedish national team. cheap jerseys from china ' ' '
