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KANSAS CITY – His Blue Jays mired in their first prolonged slump of the season, losers of six of eight and prone to giving away games in which theyve enjoyed healthy leads, star shortstop Jose Reyes has noticed bad habits creeping into the teams games and wants them nipped in the bud. Devin McCourty Womens Jersey . "We cannot stay the same way the whole season long," said Reyes. "This is not acceptable. Something needs to change because were a better team than what were showing right now. Its a long season and we just need to continue to push." Its been a frustrating week for the ballclub. Dating back to the start of the last homestand, a week ago Tuesday versus Baltimore, the Jays have lost four games in which theyve led by at least three runs. The bullpen, usually reliable, has allowed 23 earned runs in 25 2/3 innings (8.06 ERA) in that span. Making matters worse, the Jays played perhaps their worst game of the season on Tuesday in Kansas City, which starts a string of 20-consecutive games without a day off. There were fundamental mistakes sprinkled throughout, including a run-scoring throwing error; the Royals taking an extra base twice on balls hit to left field; an arcing fly ball that bounced on the warning track for a double to start the Kansas City comeback; and Edwin Encarnacion not hustling out a ground ball and wild throw with two runners on. "This is baseball," said Reyes. "Sometimes the stuff in baseball doesnt go perfect. Sometimes youre going to make a mistake but you have to learn from that mistake." Its early and the Jays entered action on Wednesday only three games behind the division-leading New York Yankees but Reyes doesnt want the club consistently giving away games any longer. "When you go through September, if youre competing for making the playoffs those are the games you say, Oh man, I lost those games in April and you see where we are now and we need those games," said Reyes. "But like I said thats in the past and as a player you have to put stuff in the past and try to get it the next day." LAWRIE OUT OF THE LINEUP Brett Lawrie missed his first game of the season on Wednesday night, sitting out with tightness in his back. The 24-year-old is hitting .192/.243/.384 in 107 plate appearances. His six home runs rank second on the club behind Jose Bautista (8). Lawrie leads the Blue Jays with 20 RBI. Lawrie gave no indication he was concerned for the long-term, deeming himself day-to-day. GIBBONS CONSIDERING McGOWANS ROLE Dustin McGowans six-inning, two earned run effort on Tuesday night may have earned him another start. "As of right now its going to stay the same," said manager John Gibbons. "Were still debating adding that extra guy for that long stretch. Weve got to decide quick." McGowan, a type 1 diabetic, wore his insulin pump for the first time in an attempt to regulate his blood sugar and maintain energy throughout the game. It worked. McGowan alluded to "feeling stronger" as the night progressed. "He did a helluva job (Tuesday) night," said Gibbons. "Hes probably going to start again. My only reservation about it is how good he was in the bullpen. Weve struggled at times down there. Im still not sure where it all leads." On top of McGowans move out of the bullpen, Gibbons is without his closer, Casey Janssen, meaning hes down two quality late-game right-handers. JANSSEN THROWS BULLPEN Casey Janssen is making tangible progress toward his much-anticipated return from an oblique strain. He threw a bullpen session of more than 30 pitches on Wednesday. "Yeah, pain free, just trying to get my arm to work fast again," said Janssen. "I didnt get much of a spring training and want that to start building up and getting strong and getting used to the grind of throwing all those pitches off a slope and throwing aggressively." Janssen will throw another bullpen on Friday in Pittsburgh. If all goes well hell head out on another, hopefully his final, rehabilitation assignment. Hell ask the Blue Jays to place him at Double-A New Hampshire, hoping for better competition than he would get at Single-A Dunedin. Janssen also wants to be closer to Toronto and with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons scheduled to play early next week against the Braves affiliate just outside Atlanta, New Hampshire seems the appropriate spot. As for the recent struggles of his bullpen mates, Janssen doesnt expect the issues to persist. "Honestly, I kind of use this line, but I truly feel that zeroes can be contagious," he said. "When everyones putting up zeroes it seems easier to put up zeroes. Unfortunately when those hitters are comfortable in the box and putting good swings, their confidence level goes up and makes our job a little bit tougher. Its the same guys that had unbelievable years last year, and I dont want the first month to skew anybodys vision of what our bullpen is and what they can be, because its an electric bullpen." LIND TO RESUME BASEBALL ACTIVITIES Adam Lind, out with lower back tightness, is eligible to come off the disabled list on Thursday. He wont be back then but the Blue Jays are hopeful his return will come soon. "Hes feeling better," said Gibbons. "Hes going to take some ground balls either today or tomorrow. Hes swinging the bat. Hes starting to feel better. They backed him off a couple of days ago because it was still irritating him but hes back to go." Lind is under the care of team doctors in Dunedin, Florida. He received a medicinal injection nine days ago to alleviate his symptoms. Hell appear in at least one extended spring training game and could play in a Gulf Coast League game before rejoining the Blue Jays no sooner than this weekend in Pittsburgh. Stephen Gostkowski Womens Jersey . Youll find all sorts of celebrities and interesting people from Barack Obama to Bill Murray answering real questions in real time in a smart and entertaining way. Brandon LaFell Womens Jersey .These are Cobains statistics: he had 13 hits (twelve singles and a double) in 40 at-bats with a .333 batting average. He had 7 RBIs, no home runs and only 1 error. Pretty impressive!Here is another picture of a 12-year-old Cobain on his team, the Elks, which is on display at the Hard Rock Café at Universal CityWalk in Hollywood:Lastly, here is a picture of Cobain from his junior high school wrestling team:Cobain also came up in an interview that Kenny Mayne conducted with with Pearl Jams Jeff Ament, a noted hoopshead like the rest of his band that was formerly named "Mookie Blaylock" in tribute to the former Atlanta Hawk, in ESPN The Magazine.SAN DIEGO -- Yes, that was LaDainian Tomlinson taking a handoff from Philip Rivers on Saturday. Too bad it wasnt like it used to be, when Tomlinson would find either a big hole or the end zone. "We did a handoff for old times sake but it was at walkthrough pace so it wasnt full speed or anything," said Tomlinson, who retired 13 months ago and visited the San Diego Chargers training camp as part of his job with the NFL Network. New coach Mike McCoy asked L.T. to speak to the team after its first practice in pads. The former star running back then taped an interview with Rivers. "It was a great feeling, really," said Tomlinson, who played nine mostly brilliant seasons with the Chargers before finishing his career with two seasons with the New York Jets. "Mixed emotions because I started to get that feel of putting on the pads again but truly knowing that I dont need to put on pads anymore. Its over. But it was great seeing some of my olds teammates, really, Philip and Antonio (Gates) and Nick Hardwick and Eric Weddle. So many guys that I went to battle with and now seeing them as leaders of this football team." He said he talked to the players about making a commitment to themselves and each other, "and dont worry about what everybodys saying in terms of where the Chargers are going to finish in the AFC West. It really depends on what they want out of themselves and if they commit to each other and come to work every single day and think about each other, they will exceed expectations." McCoy replaced Norv Turner, who was fired along with general manager A.J. Smith after the Chargers missed the playoffs for the third straight season. "Its great to have a guy like that come in," McCoy said. "To have one of the greatest Chargers of all time speak to the team, he just talked about what it meant to be a Charger and how fortunate we all are to be here and kind of the way we need to approach the game." Rivers said Tomlinsons pep talk "was solid. He and I briefly talked and it was weird having him out here, not in uniform. It was more weird for him, I bet, just because its like going back in time, like, Yall still here? Hardwick, me and Gates, were still doing the same thing weve been doing. Hes great. It brings back memories seeing him out here." Rivers said it was a little different being interviewed by Tomlinson, "but it was cool. It was very comfortable because its a guy you stood there and talked to and handed the ball to many times." Tomlinson was the NFLs MVP in 2006. Hes fifth on the all-time list with 13,684 yards rushing and third all-time with162 touchdowns. His 145 rushing touchdowns are second-most in history. He also passed for seven touchdowns. Tomlinson signed a ceremonial one-day contract with the Chargers on June 18, 2012, and then announced his retirement. Tomlinson said he likes the change in regimes and that the Chargers have to improve on offence. Playing behind a dreadful line last year, Rivers was sacked 49 times and committed 22 turnovers, giving him 47 turnovers in two seasons. Running back Ryan Mathews, who replaced Tomlinson in 2010, was hurt and continued his fumbling problem. He ran for only 707 yaards and one touchdown before finishing the season on injured reserve. Brandon Bolden Patriots Jersey. "It seems to be a refreshing start. Everything is a new beginning for the Chargers and I think theyre approaching it that way," Tomlinson said. "Obviously the key is the rebound of the offensive line. They have to be able to protect Philip Rivers. Being sacked 49 times last year is way too many for your franchise quarterback. "If they can get their offensive line to jell, and if Ryan Mathews can stay healthy and give them some production in the running game, the defence is going to take care of themselves. Theyre going to be good," Tomlinson said. The Chargers rushed for only four touchdowns last year. By comparison, Tomlinson set NFL records with 28 touchdowns rushing and 31 touchdowns total during his MVP season of 2006. "The run game controls the entire game," Tomlinson said. "Whenever youre able to run the football and then put it in the end zone, that really wears the defence down. If youre not able to do that, typically things arent going too well for you. But I think its an area of focus for the San Diego Chargers, getting their running game going, getting Ryan Mathews going and I think they will have more rushing touchdowns this year." Mathews has had an uneven three seasons. "I think he would tell you hes at a crossroads in his career. I think this season is going to determine whether Ryan Mathews continues to be a Charger or if he moves on somewhere else," Tomlinson said. "I think he would tell you, absolutely he wants to be here. But has to make that commitment on the field, in the weight room, in the classroom and also, off the field. Tomlinson said hes impressed with Teo, the rookie from Notre Dame. "The natural leadership qualities obviously are there. I see a really bright guy that knows the game of football and has really great fundamentals. Probably not the most athletic linebacker, but he makes up for it because hes such a smart guy. I think Manti Teos going to have a really good, long career and I think hes going to do some great things for the Chargers defence." Tomlinson said the biggest adjustment for Teo will be playing on third down. "Thats the hardest thing for any rookie. Heck, it was hard for me when I first came into the league, because the game is different on third downs," Tomlinson said. "Its like its two separate games. Theres first and second downs, and then theres third downs. The different blitz packages, who hes covering, and remember, the Chargers defence, they play multiple coverages. Thats one thing that Manti Teos going to have to get used to is playing multiple coverages." Teo reportedly has the bestselling jersey among rookies. Tomlinson said he was at Disneyland last week and saw someone wearing a No. 50 Teo jersey. "It made me proud to see San Diego being represented in that way," Tomlinson said. Teo was in pads for the first time since Notre Dames blowout loss to Alabama in the BCS national championship game. "Its been a little while since weve all been in pads Its nice to get to concentrate on football," Teo said. "It feels good." ' ' '
DETROIT -- Two goalies combined on a Detroit Red Wings shutout for the first time since the 2001-02 season, when they went on to hoist the Stanley Cup. Kraig Urbik Womens Jersey . "Maybe its a good omen," Jimmy Howard said after finishing off a shutout that Jonas Gustavsson started in a 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night. Justin Abdelkader scored early in the second period and again in the final seconds after Howard made 16 saves over the final two periods and Gustavsson stopped eight shots in the first. Howard also stopped David Booths penalty shot in the second. It was the first time Detroit had a combined shutout since Oct. 27, 2001, when Manny Legace and Dominik Hasek did it in a 1-0 win at Nashville, according to STATS. Gustavsson started, but couldnt play in the second or third because of dizziness. "I guess hes fine," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. The Canucks had coach John Tortorella behind their bench and forward Henrik Sedin on the ice after both missed six games. Tortorella was suspended for 15 days by the NHL for his conduct after a brawl in a game against the Calgary Flames. Tortorella went to Calgarys locker room following the first period, which began with several fights. "Whats happened was deserved," Tortorella said. "I hope it makes me a better coach, but it certainly doesnt stop the situations Ive put a lot of other people in, especially my other coaches." Sedin had been out since he was unable to finish the Jan. 18 game against Calgary because of an upper-body injury. He and his brother, Daniel, extended their goal-scoring droughts to 16 games. That matches the longest stretch of games the Sedins have played without either one of them scoring since 2002, according to STATS. "Obviously, theyre a big part of their team," said Detroits Henrik Zetterberg, who will team up with the Sedins for Sweden at the Olympics. "If you keep them in check, you have a good chance of winning the game." The Red Wings wanted to rest Howard, who had played two straight games following a four-game absence after aggravating a left knee injury, but he was forced into action. Howard helped Detroit keep its slim lead early in the second period when he denied Booths penalty shot. "I thought our best forward was David Booth, which is good for him but not good for us," Tortorella said. The Canucks went on a power play for the fourth time 5:29 into the third period, but didnt take advantage. They had an extra skater again when Detroit had too many men on the ice with 4:37 left in the game. It turned into a 4-on-3 advantage when players from both teams were called for a penalty, but Vancouver couldnt convert. "We looked like a slow hockey team tonight," Tortorella said. "Were going to keep banging and trying to get better. ... It worries me, it really worries me." Eddie Lack, starting a second straight game in place of Roberto Luongo, made 28 saves. Lack gave up what appeared to be a soft goal, failing to stop a long shot from Abdelkader with his blocker, but helped Vancouver stay within a goal when Detroit had a 5-on-3 power play midway through the second period. Lack also made three straight stops when Darren Helm had chances to score during Vancouvers final power play, including one sprawling stop in which he dove and got some of his glove on the puck. "The way hes keeping us in games, you want to score some goals for him," Vancouvers Jannik Hansen said. "We just couldnt find a way to get it done." The Canucks pulled Lack late in the game to add an extra skater, but teammate Alexandre Burrows was called for cross-checking with 38.7 seconds left. Abdelkader sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 15.7 seconds remaining. "His confidence is growing," Babcock said. "Hes making more plays with the puck." NOTES: Vancouver acquired forward Dale Weise from Montreal and scratched him from the lineup in Detroit. ... The Red Wings recognized people from both franchises who will represent their countries at the Sochi Games, including Detroit forward Gustav Nyquist, who is replacing injured teammate Johan Franzen on Swedens roster. ... Detroits Pavel Datsyuk, who missed his 14th straight game with a lower-body injury, hopes to play a game or two before being Russias captain in Sochi. Anthony Dixon Jersey . -- Danica Patrick cleared a path for her teammates in NASCARs new knockout qualifying that led to a Turner Scott Motorsports rout at Daytona International Speedway. Brandon Spikes Womens Jersey . Bedene replaced Dmitry Tursunov of Russia in the main draw and needed less than 2 hours to add to Davydenkos opening-round losses in Munich, Madrid and Rome. Seventh-seeded Viktor Troicki defeated Michael Russell of the United States.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 Kerry, In the Boston-Buffalo game on Wednesday night in the second period, Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers slashes Bruins forward Brad Marchand and then punches him in the head! How and why does Marchand get the penalty, with no call on Myers? He then scores a go-ahead goal! My question would be - does a supervising official between periods give the refs the talking down a player would get from his coach? This call could cost a team two points on very questionable officiating! Thanks,Ken MacAskill Ken: Both you and broadcast analyst Joe Micheletti made the correct call on this play. At the very least the Bruins and Sabres should have been playing four men aside as a result of the altercation between Tyler Myers and Brad Marchand. In a perfect world, Myers deserved an extra minor penalty as the aggressor in this incident following his slash and punch at Marchand. You asked how and why, only Brad Marchand received the penalty on this play. The trailing referee is responsible for all players behind the Sabres blue line. As the Sabres went on the attack from their end zone, Marchand cut across the ice toward his bench for a line change and in doing so skated directly in front of Myers. The altercation began when Marchand dropped his hip toward Myers who responded with a cross-check shove, a slash by each player and then the Myers punch. At this point play was stopped to assess a penalty. The camera picked up the trailing referee with his arm raised and approaching the two players on an angle back from the neutral zone toward Tyler Myers and Brad Marchand. From the referees angle of return it is apparent to me that he had vacated the Sabres end zone prior to players clearing that zone and failed to recognize and observe the hot spot between Marchand and Myers. I dont believe the ref saw the start of the altercation but picked it up when Brad Marchand jammed his stick into Myers midsection. He therefore deemed Marchand to be the instigator of the scrum. The easy call should have been to penalize both players for their actions. Unfortunately that didnt take place and resulted in a Tyler Myers power-play goal. Officiating managers (supervisors) very seldom enter the officials room between periods unless something extremely serious has gone afoul. Instead, the manager will review his observations and game report with the officiaals at the conclusion of the game. Lee Smith Bills Jersey. In certain cases, depending upon travel schedules or a perceived need, a follow-up telephone call or even breakfast meeting might take place with an official. Typically though any instruction/coaching will take place in the officials dressing room after the game. There was a time when supervisors entered the room between periods but team management objected to this practice when they felt the officials approach to the game changed to drastically following between period instructions. I dont agree with this practice in principle, but whenever the conversation does take place the supervisors proper approach and coaching techniques are vital in advancing the officials learning curve. When I observe a Division I College game for my former colleague and referee-in-chief of the ECAC Paul Stewart, I always visit the officials room between periods; if for no other reason but to be supportive and available should they have any questions. My approach is always to be positive and point out the good things they did but also to make them aware of any potential hot spots that might develop in addition to any positioning issues I feel the need to address. The game can certainly look different from the press box or the television monitor than it does at ice level. In a flash from the past, when I first signed a contract with the NHL there was a different and much more aggressive approach taken by the supervisors of that day which could be very intimidating for an official; especially a young one. Team general managers were not fined for approaching the officials room and shouting matches often took place in the hall outside the refs room. Supervisors were subjected to angry rants from team personnel in the press box which could result in a between period visit to the officials room by a supervisor. I can tell you there were trash cans kicked around the officials room and rolled up programs thrown at the wall in some of these "coaching" sessions. As you can imagine they werent very productive from a teaching perspective but could have a profound effect on how the next period was officiated! In todays fast paced game the two referee two linesman system is mandatory. An influx of younger officials has been hired to the staff when the veterans retire. Enhanced coaching and mentoring techniques are required to quicken the learning curve that takes place in addition to holding all the officials accountable to the expected standard. This is a work in progress. ' ' '
Phoenix, AZ - The Oakland Athletics have reportedly avoided arbitration with Josh Reddick and have signed the outfielder to a one- year contract. Ryan Clady . The As website reported Reddick, who was scheduled for his arbitration hearing Wednesday, settled for a $2.7 million salary for the 2014 season. He was reportedly asking for $3.25 million, while the As countered with $2 million. Reddick is coming off a season in which he hit .226 with 12 homers and 56 RBI in 114 games. Rahim Moore . Writing in British newspaper The Sunday Times in his first media comments since his departure, Moyes says "another possibility is that I may choose to have a break and enjoy watching and observing football throughout the world. Tom Jackson . The 22-year-old slugger, who is no stranger to adversity, made up for it at the end.The first major trade domino has fallen. Ryan Miller and Steve Ott have been traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart, William Carrier, a first-round draft pick in 2015 and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2016. The Sabres scratched both Miller and team captain Ott ahead of Friday nights home game against the San Jose Sharks. Neither player was on the ice for the teams warm-up at the First Niagara Center. "The thought of getting the grit and determination of a player like Steve Ott and obviously Ryan Millers resume speaks for itself, we think this gives us a better opportunity for success this year," said Blues general manager Doug Armstrong. The Sabres currently sit last in the NHL with a 17-34-8 record and are believed to be poised to move several veteran pieces in an effort to add future assets. The conditional third-round pick in 2016 would become a first-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft if Miller re-signs with the Blues or St. Louis makes it to the 2014 Western Conference Final. However, should that pick become a first-rounder, the Blues would then acquire the Minnesota Wilds second-round pick (which Buffalo acquired as part of the return for Jason Pominville) as well as the Sabres own 2014 third-rounder. If the Blues dont reach the Western Conference Final but sign Miller after the 2014 NHL Draft has taken place, then Buffalo would receive a 2016 second-round pick. Buffalo also retained a portion of Millers salary in the trade, according to a report on the teams official web site. Both Miller and Ott will join the Blues in Phoenix and are expected to be available for Sundays game against the Coyotes. The 33-year-old Miller has posted a 15-22-3 record with the Sabres this season, with a 2.72 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Originally selected in the fifth round (138th overall) by the Sabres at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Miller has spent his entire 11-year NHL career in Buffalo, posting a 284-186-1-56-28 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. Miller is in the final year of a five-year deal worth an average annual value of $6.25 million that he signed with the Sabres prior to the 2009-10 season. "I got to know some of the (Blues) with (USA Hockey)," Miller said during a news conference in Buffalo after the deal was announced. "They have a very strong competitive spirit, so I look forward to joining that group." Ott, 31, has appeared in 59 games with the Sabres this season, scoring nine goals and 11 assists. He is in the final year of a four-year, $11.8 million contract and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Ott was selected in the first round (25th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars and played nine seasons in Dallas before being traded to Buffalo in 2012. In 673 career games with the Sabres and Stars, Ott has scorred 103 goals and 161 assists while racking up 1,318 penalty minutes. Quentin Jammer. "Im really excited to have this opportunity with St. Louis," said Ott. "My dream and my biggest goal is to have a chance at a Stanley Cup." Halak, 28, has appeared in 40 games with the Blues this season recording a 24-9-4 record, with a 2.23 goals against average and a .917 save percentage. He is currently in the final year of a four-year, $15 million contract he signed prior to the 2010-11 season and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Halak was selected in the ninth round (271st overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. He has appeared in 260 career games with the Blues and Canadiens, posting a 139-81-26-29 record with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. The Slovakian has represented his country on numerous occasions including the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where he backstopped his team to a quarter-final upset over Sweden en route to a fourth-place finish. He played again at the recent Sochi Games where his team finished 11th. Speaking to Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Halak said. "(The trade) is still fresh. Youre getting a good goalie. Good luck in the playoffs." In 58 games with the Blues this season, Stewart has scored 15 goals and 11 assists. Currently in the first of a two-year deal he signed prior to this season, Stewarts contract carries an average annual value of $4.15 million. Originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round (18th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Stewart has appeared in 377 career games with the Blues and Avalanche, scoring 115 goals and 113 assists. He was acquired by the Blues along with Kevin Shattenkirk and a second-round draft pick in the blockbuster deal that sent Erik Johnson, Jay McClement and a first round pick to Colorado in February, 2011. Carrier, a 19-year-old prospect, was selected in the second round (57th overall) by the Blues at the 2013 NHL Draft. The left winger has scored 17 goals and 39 assists in 59 combined games with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and Drummondville Voltigeurs so far this season in the QMJHL. The Sabres now possess 10 combined picks in the first two rounds of the 2014 and 2015 Drafts. In addition to their own first- and second-round picks in 2014 they possess the Blues first-rounder, the Los Angeles Kings second-round pick (acquired in excahnge for Robyn Regehr) and the aforementioned Minnesota second-rounder. In addition to their own 2015 picks they also own the Kings second round pick (also obtained in the Regehr trade) and the New York Islanders second-rounder (acquired in the trade that sent Thomas Venk to Long Island). They also possess a conditional first from the New York Islanders - in either 2014 or 2015, to be determined by the Islanders - as part of the return for Vanek. ' ' '
SURPRISE, Ariz. Joe Mays . -- The Kansas City Royals have plucked left-handed pitcher Patrick Schuster off waivers from the San Diego Padres. The Royals also sent catcher Adam Moore to the Padres on Tuesday for cash considerations. Schuster, who has not pitched above Class A, was placed on the 40-man major league roster. To clear roster space for Schuster, the Royals designated for assignment outfielder Carlos Peguero. The 23-year-old Schuster had a 1.83 ERA in 55 games last year for Visalia in the California League. He struck out 45, allowed 30 hits, and walked 18 in 44 1-3 innings. Jeff Linkenbach . Wiebe made a clutch par putt on the second playoff hole before Pavin missed a putt from inside 10 feet that would have forced play to continue. Both Wiebe and Pavin finished regulation at 11-under 205. Ryan Succop . -- Eric Gordon drove through the lane, and his floater gave New Orleans the lead with 1.NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees are no longer expecting CC Sabathia to return to their rotation this year, given the persistence of inflammation in his injured right knee. Asked Friday whether he believed Sabathias season was over, manager Joe Girardi said: "I think thats about fair to say." The six-time All-Star left-hander has been out with a degenerative cartilage problem in his right knee since mid-May, when his ERA reached a career-high 5.28. The Yankees were targeting a post-All-Star-break return for Sabathia, who had begun a rehabilitation assignment. In his second start, Wednesday for Double-A Trenton, Sabathia was hit hard: five hits, five runs and one walk while striking out two in 3 2-3 innings. The next morning, the 33-year-old woke up with swelling in the joint. An MRI test on Thursday didnt reveal any new damage. Sabathia will be examined on July 14 by Dr. James Andrews before the next step is determined, Girardi said, but microfracture surgery is possible. Previously, Sabathia had an operation on the knee in October 2010 to repair a small meniscus cartilage tear. The microfracture procedure requires far more recovery time, though. "Thats a surgery a lot of players dont want to hear when they need to have it," Girardi said. The manager even acknowledged the possibility that Sabathia might have thrown his last pitch for the Yankeees, as dire of a scenario that sounds like. JMarcus Webb. . "I think its too early to predict that, but whenever you have degenerative issues that cause surgery or things like that, theres always a little question there," Girardi said. Despite his 6-foot-7, 285-pound frame, Sabathia has been remarkably durable, logging at least 28 starts and 180 innings every season of his career. He reached 230 innings or more in five different years, including in 2007 when he won the American League Cy Young Award for Cleveland. Sabathia is in his sixth season with the Yankees. He gave up 10 home runs in 46 innings over his eight starts before landing on the disabled list on May 11. After signing a seven-year, $161 million deal as a free agent prior to the 2009 season, Sabathia had his contract extended in 2011 by one year and $30 million. Making $23 million this season, Sabathia is scheduled to earn $23 million in 2015 and $25 million in 2016. The Yankees have a $25 million option on his deal for 2017 with a $5 million buyout. The Yankees have also been missing injured starters Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda, forcing them to go with a makeshift rotation including Vidal Nuno, David Phelps and rookie Chase Whitley. Nova had season-ending elbow surgery in April. Pineda has been out with a shoulder muscle problem and is not expected back until August. ' ' '
ANAHEIM, Calif. Packers #50 Jersey . -- Sitting in another jubilant dressing room deep inside another dazed road arena, Anze Kopitar simply stopped trying to explain the Los Angeles Kings big-game brilliance. In nearly every tight playoff spot over the last three years, his Kings have emerged and advanced -- even when they end the career of hockey icon Teemu Selanne along the way. Kopitar knows the Kings tenacity cant be easily defined, and its almost impossible to capture. But it has taken them all the way back to the Western Conference finals after they finished off the rival Anaheim Ducks in grand style, 6-2 in Game 7 on Friday night. "Its hard to say what it is, but its all in this room," said Kopitar, the Kings leading scorer. "We dont look outside too much. We believe in this room. We knew this would have to be our best game of the series, and it was." Justin Williams, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards scored in an overwhelming first period. The Kings advanced to their third straight conference finals by improving to a jaw-dropping 6-0 when facing elimination this spring. Los Angeles has won two seven-game series as it heads to Chicago for Game 1 on Sunday. Kopitar, Marian Gaborik and Tanner Pearson also scored, and Jonathan Quick made 25 saves to help the Kings claim the first post-season Freeway Faceoff series with back-to-back wins over their top-seeded Southern California rivals. "Were built for the playoffs, for sure," Kings defenceman Drew Doughty said. "We struggled during the regular season. I dont know the reason why, but were always ready for when it really counts." The Kings added to their 7-1 record in elimination games over the past two years, showing the remarkable poise that has led to eight playoff series victories in three seasons. They earned a rematch with the Blackhawks, who eliminated them in five games last spring. The 2012 Stanley Cup champions led 5-0 late in the second period in Anaheim, never allowing the Ducks to get going in their own building. Los Angeles shredded rookie goalie John Gibson for four goals in the first 22:02, and the Ducks lost a Game 7 for the second straight year. "Really tough emotions right now," said captain Ryan Getzlaf, who scored one goal in the series. "They came out and played the way they can play. They know what theyre doing in these situations." The defeat likely ended the career of the 43-year-old Selanne, who intends to retire. Both teams paid tribute to the Finnish Flash after he took the final shift, eventually waving a melancholy goodbye to his Anaheim fans. "Its got to be a lot of happiness later, but it is hard right now," Selanne said. "It was going to be ending in a great celebration or a big disappointment, and we didnt get the win." Kings fans chants of "This is our house!" echoed through Honda Center, where the Ducks were one of the NHLs best home teams during the best regular season in franchise history. The Kings got stellar performances from their best big-game players. Quick improved to 3-0 in Game 7s. Williams kicked off the first-period onslaught with his sixth goal in six career trips to Game 7. Williams also has six assists in those deciding games. "Im proud of my numbers in Game 7, but the one Im most proud of is 6-0," Williams said. Gaborik scored six goals in the series four games in Anaheim, giving him an NHL-best nine goals in his first post-season with the Kings. Gaborik, Williams and Richards are unbeaten in six career trips to Game 7; Carter improved to 4-0. The 20-year-old Gibson was overmatched, yielding four goals on 18 shots before getting pulled for Jonas Hiller, the dependable veteran benched twice by coach Bruce Boudreau in the seasons final weeks. Boudreau dropped to 1-5 in his six career trips to Game 7s with Washington and Anaheim, losing all five times at home. "The first period was like men against boys, quite frankly," Boudreau said. "They were bigger, stronger, more determined. Everything we said we didnt want to do, we did." Corey Perry scored early in the third period, but also missed a penalty shot and got denied on a second-period breakaway on his 29th birthday. Kyle Palmieri scored late in the second period. The game was an unsightly farewell to Selanne, whose 21-season NHL career began in Winnipeg in 1992 and included parts of 15 seasons in Anaheim. He scored 684 regular-season goals, but had just two goals in 12 playoff games this spring. "It will be great memories I will live with for the rest of my life," Selanne said. "I would never have expected to have this kind of career. I am very thankful for that." Game 7 also might have been a finale for Saku Koivu. The 39-year-old Finnish centre said hell wait several weeks before deciding whether hell retire after 18 NHL seasons. NOTES: The Kings again played without injured veteran defencemen Willie Mitchell, who missed his eighth straight game, and Robyn Regehr (sixth straight). ... Los Angeles is the 17th team in NHL history to win a Game 7 twice in the same post-season run. The New York Rangers also have done it this spring. ... The visiting team has won five of the six Game 7s in the current playoffs. Mike Neal Packers Jersey . -- It was one of the most spectacular plays of a dreary season for the Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond knocked a pass away near midcourt, took off toward the basket and threw down an emphatic one-handed dunk while being fouled by Atlantas Elton Brand. Packers #21 Jersey . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week.TEMPE, Ariz. -- Three restricted free agents have signed their one-year qualifying offers with the Arizona Cardinals -- safety Rashad Johnson, running back LaRod Stephens-Howling and cornerback Greg Toler. All three are considered important components to the Cardinals roster. Packers #8 Jersey. In addition, four exclusive rights players have signed contracts for the coming season -- quarterback Rich Bartel, running back Alfonso Smith, defensive end Ronald Talley and linebacker Brandon Williams. ' ' '
LONDON -- Chelsea has signed St. Jimmy Graham Saints Jersey . Etienne defender Kurt Zouma on a 5 1/2-year contract but he will remain on loan at the French club until the end of the season. The 19-year-old centre back has made 52 league appearances for the Ligue 1 team and scored four goals. Zouma has represented Frances youth teams and he was part of the group that won the Under-20 World Cup last year. Chelsea has already signed midfielder Nemanja Matic and winger Mohamed Salah in the January transfer window. Saints #57 Jersey . As their best player continued to orchestrate his dramatic exit from the club, the Whitecaps added size and creativity at Thursdays Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Junior Galette Saints Jersey .These are Cobains statistics: he had 13 hits (twelve singles and a double) in 40 at-bats with a .333 batting average. He had 7 RBIs, no home runs and only 1 error. Pretty impressive!Here is another picture of a 12-year-old Cobain on his team, the Elks, which is on display at the Hard Rock Café at Universal CityWalk in Hollywood:Lastly, here is a picture of Cobain from his junior high school wrestling team:Cobain also came up in an interview that Kenny Mayne conducted with with Pearl Jams Jeff Ament, a noted hoopshead like the rest of his band that was formerly named "Mookie Blaylock" in tribute to the former Atlanta Hawk, in ESPN The Magazine.Martin St. Louis will be in the lineup tonight when the New York Rangers face the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference second round series. St. Louis mother France passed away suddenly on Thursday. Head coach Alain Vigneault said St. Louis traveled to his familys home in Montreal the night before but has since returned and will play. Pittsburgh has pushed the Rangers to the brink of elimination as the Penguins hold a 3-1 advantage after dropping the first game of the series in overtime. Since losing Game 1 in the Steel City, the Pens have rattled off three straight wins, outscoring New York by a combined 9-2 margin along the way. After getting shut out by Marc-Andre Fleury in Games 2 and 3, New York was able to score twice in Wednesdays meeting in Manhattan but it wasnt enough to even the series. Instead, the Penguins earned a 4-2 decision to grab a commanding lead in the best-of-seven set and give them a chance to end the series tonight on home ice. New York has won seven of its last nine games when facing elimination, including two of four on the road. Pittsburgh, however, is 9-2 all-time in series when holding a 3-1 lead. The last time the Penguins blew a 3-1 lead was in the 2011 Eastern Conference quarterfinals against Tampa Bay when both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were injured and missed the series. New York halted a scoring drought at 145 minutes, 30 seconds on Carl Hagelins goal early in the second period of Game 4, but the club continued to struggle on the power play. The Rangers went 0-for-2 with the man advantage on Wednesday and have now failed on 36 straight power-play chances. The last power-play goal for the Rangers came in Game 2 of their first-round victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. "We havent earned it enough, we havent executed enough," Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh said of his teams overall effort in this series. "We have looks, cant finish, and havent made it hard on the goalie and are not capitalizing on the chances we are given. We have to play better on all areas of the ice (Friday)." The clubs power-play situation plumbed new depths in Game 4, with New York not only failing to score on the man advantage once again but the Rangers also allowed a shorthanded goal to Brandon Sutter late in the second period. Sutters tally made it 2-1 with 1:33 remaining in the period and Pittsburgh would hold a lead the rest of the way. Malkin contributed a goal and an assist for Pittsburgh, while Chris Kunitz and Jussi Jokinen also liit the lamp to help the Pens grab a commanding series lead. Parys Haralson Saints Jersey. . Crosby added two assists in the game and Pittsburghs captain has nine points in the playoffs. Malkin leads the team with 12 points (5g, 7a). Fleury, who in Games 3 and 4 became the first Penguins goalie to record back- to-back playoff shutouts, only needed to make 13 saves for Wednesdays victory. The 15 shots allowed by Pittsburgh in Game 4 were the fewest surrendered in a playoff game in franchise history. "Its a nice cushion you know, but nothings done," said Fleury. "Its fun for now, its a nice win. But get back at it Friday." Pittsburgh did lose Brooks Orpik once again after the defenseman returned from a five-game absence due to an undisclosed injury. Orpik was hurt Wednesday after colliding with Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello late in the first period and did not return. If Orpik is unable to go in Game 5, Robert Bortuzzo expects to take his place in the lineup. Bortuzzo had an assist and was a plus-2 while filling in for Orpik in five games during this postseason. Zuccarello scored in the third period for New York and Henrik Lundqvist gave up all four goals on 27 shots. New York head coach Alain Vigneault blamed the Game 4 loss largely on his teams carelessness with the puck. "We didnt pick a good night to manage the puck the way we did tonight," said Vigneault. "I dont want to take any credit against Pittsburgh, they forced the play and they played a real solid game without the puck that obviously forced us into a lot of those turnovers." The Rangers had speedy forward Chris Kreider in the lineup for the first time since late March in Game 4, and the 23-year-old experienced some ups and downs. Kreider, who returned after recovering from surgery to his left hand, had one shot on net and was a minus-one after logging 15:24 of ice time. "I felt good one shift, rusty the next, good for a shift, rusty the next," Kreider said. "Im excited to play the next one because we have another opportunity. Whenever a team goes deep into this thing they always face some adversity, and thats what weve got right here. This is an opportunity to see what we are made of. Its gut-check time." If New York is able to win Fridays game in the Steel City, it will host Game 6 on Sunday. New York is aiming for its first playoff series win against Pittsburgh, which has won all four previous postseason meetings. The Pens boast a 19-5 all-time record against the Rangers in the playoffs and are 10-3 as the home team. ' ' '
INDIANAPOLIS -- Even in the midst of their worst month of the season, the Indiana Pacers are finding ways to win big games.http://www.authenticdolphinsshop.com/Limited-Marcus-Thigpen-Miami-Dolphins-Jersey-Womens-Nike-Nfl-34-White-Road-96 . On Friday night, the Pacers beat the Chicago Bulls 91-79 to take a 13-game lead on the Bulls in the Central Division. The Pacers have won five of their last six games after losing four straight earlier this month -- the teams worst skid of the year. The win couldnt come at a better time. "In the NBA, a week looks like an eternity, so it feels like we havent been playing great in a while," Luis Scola said. "We needed it. We needed the confidence and we also needed the win." Scola had 19 points off the bench and Lance Stephenson finished with 15 for the Pacers (51-18), who went on a 19-0 run in the third quarter. Carlos Boozer was called for a Flagrant 1 foul with 7:31 left in the third, Roy Hibbert made two free throws and Stephenson made a basket to give the Pacers a 63-45 lead. DJ Augustin and Jimmy Butler each scored 17 points for the Bulls (38-31), who have lost two of their last three. The win also gave Indiana a 2-1 series lead over the Bulls. The Pacers will visit Memphis on Saturday and then Chicago on Monday before they host Miami on Wednesday. Paul George, who finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, also made a basket and dunked, David West scored twice and Stephenson made a basket, a dunk and converted a three-point play to help the Pacers pull away in the big run in the third quarter. "Im very proud of the team approach and the willingness to share the basketball and move the basketball," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "I think we did remind ourselves of who we are tonight." Vogels main point of emphasis heading into the game was sharing the ball. Indiana finished with 27 assists. The Bulls went on a 7-0 run early in the fourth quarter, but it wasnt enough. Joakim Noah scored a basket, Augustin made two free throws, Butler made another and Mike Dunleavy scored to make it 77-69 with 9:30 remaining. Scola scored to end the run and give Indiana a 79-69 lead. Augustin made a layup, but Scola scored again and later made a layup and a free throw to give the Pacers an 84-71 lead with 4:27 remaining. Not much went right for Chicago, who shot just 36.4 per cent and was outrebounded 51-36. Chicago forward Taj Gibson felt wronged, too. He fouled out with 7:07 left in the fourth when he knocked Scola to the ground on a rebound. He was called for his fifth foul on the offensive end of the floor 30 seconds before fouling out. "I thought there was a lot of flopping going on out there," Gibson said. "Anytime you see that, it makes you think that you dont want to get a ticky-tack foul. It was a dog fight, a slug fest, and I thought a couple of calls didnt go our way and took some of our momentum away." A potential upcoming playoff preview. Scola broke away in the second quarter with 12 points. He made back-to-back baskets, Evan Turner scored, and Scola made another jumper in an 8-0 run at the start of the second quarter to give the Pacers a 27-23 lead. Scola scored to give the Pacers a 42-35 lead with 3:54 left in the first half before the Bulls went on a 6-0 run. Noah scored a pair of free throws, Gibson scored and Augustin made a layup to make it 42-41 with 1:48 left in the half. George Hill scored for Indiana and Augustin scored to make it 44-43 at halftime. NOTES: Indiana announced about an hour before tipoff that Andrew Bynum was out indefinitely with soreness and swelling in his right knee and said he would "continue to undergo treatment." Bynum, who signed with Indiana on Feb. 1 after being suspended in December by the Cleveland Cavaliers, made his debut with the Pacers against the Boston Celtics last week and played in just two games. ... The Bulls handed Indiana its first loss of the season back on Nov. 16 after the Pacers got off to their best start in franchise history. Derrick Rose and Luol Deng combined for 43 points in that game. This time, the Bulls didnt have either. Deng has since been traded and Rose hasnt played since Nov. 22. Koa Misi Womens Jersey. Conte gathered 26 of the 64 votes for the Panchina doro -- golden bench -- award. Fiorentinas Vincenzo Montella was second and Walter Mazzarri, who coached Napoli to second place last season before taking over Inter Milan, finished third. Branden Albert Dolphins Jersey . The Eastern final, however, still rankles Toronto quarterback Ricky Ray.INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana took every shot Miami could muster Wednesday night. Then the Pacers threw a couple of their own punches — and put the two-time defending champs on the mat. Paul George scored 23 points, Roy Hibbert added 21 and Indiana rallied from a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Heat 84-83, taking a three-game lead over Miami in the chase of the Eastern Conferences top seed. "Theyre the champs, theyre going to bring out the best in us," said David West, who made a 3-pointer with 50.2 seconds to go. "They bring out the best in anybody. I thought we just had enough fight." It was one of those rare grudge matches that actually lived up to the billing. Before the game, the teams chided one another with dueling comments. Afterward, nobody was ready to make up. And in between, the action got downright nasty. LeBron James needed a cotton swab in his nose to keep playing in the fourth quarter after getting whacked in the face. Dwyane Wade spent the final minute of the game icing his right hamstring. Pacers centre Roy Hibbert finished the game despite taking an elbow to the face that left him so groggy he didnt even remember getting hit. James and George both wound up taking spills into basket supports, and Lance Stephenson was ejected midway through the fourth quarter after picking up his second technical foul for celebrating a basket. The angry Stephenson waved his hand at the ref and after leaving the court, threw a towel and kicked a door. Coach Frank Vogel was not amused, saying he had a stern talk with his budding star guard before he went home. But it typified a rugged night for Miami (48-22). "It is what it is, they ref the game, we play it," James said. The NBAs best home team ended a two-game losing streak, took a 2-1 lead in the season series and now has the inside track to home-court advantage with just 10 games to play. And (52-20) Indiana still managed to do all of that on a night James seemed to be at his best. The four-time MVP finished with 38 points, eight rebounds, five assists, was 9 of 15 from the field and 14 of 15 from the free throw line. The problem: James also had six turnovers, Wade had six more turnovers and Miami managed only one basket over the final 3 miinutes, 23 seconds. Dion Jordan Womens Jersey. James and Bosh both missed late jumpers that would have given Miami the lead, the last an airball by Bosh from just right of the top of the key as time expired. "Unfortunately, that was what I diagramed," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It probably wasnt the best call. It might have been a little too gunslinger on my part. I just wanted an open shot." They were so hard to come by Wednesday night that James was even called for a flagrant foul when he drove to the basket and sent the 7-foot-2, 290-pound Hibbert crashing to the ground. When Hibbert got up, he stumbled. Eventually he had to leave the court to change his blood-spattered jersey, but he refused to sit against the Heat. Hibbert dominated the first half yet again, scoring 17 points. But when the Heat decided to make things tough on Hibbert in the second half, George and his teammates took advantage. George spurred the first fourth-quarter run with two monster dunks — one over the hand of a trailing James — to get the Pacers back in the game. Later, it was Evan Turner, the trade deadline acquisition, who delivered two of Indianas biggest baskets of the night. The first came after James final turnover, on a breakaway layup. The second came courtesy of Mario Chalmers turnover out of bounds. When the middle of the court opened up, Turner bolted through a clear path for an 81-80 lead with 90 seconds to go. "I know how to get my space, Ive been doing that forever, you know what I mean?" Turner said, likely adding another spark to a rivalry that needs none. "Some of my moves Ive been doing since I was a little kid, so I can walk a pretty fine line when it comes to that." After Hibbert made 1 of 2 free throws, Turner scored on the layups, West hit the knockout 3 and all Miami got was a 3 from Bosh with 2.9 seconds left. "Theyre a tough team, psychologically against most teams they have the edge," West said. "Theyve got the best player in the game. Their pedigree, their entire organization, you understand what youre going to get." NOTES: Indiana has won its first back-to-back division titles since 1998-99 and 1999-2000. ... The Heat are now 7-8 in March. ... The Pacers and Heat meet again April 11 in Miami. ' ' '
With the NHL Draft coming up on June 27 and free agency opening on July 1, discussions between NHL general managers will be heating up over the month of June. Ryan Carrethers Jersey . Each day this month, TSN.ca will provide the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Good as gone? According to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest, defenceman Dan Boyle is highly unlikely to sign with the New York Islanders. Strickland reports that Boyle, 37, is looking to sign with a contender. The Islanders traded a conditional 2015 fifth-round draft pick for the rights to the unrestricted free agent last week. If Boyle were to sign with the Islanders, the pick returning to the San Jose Sharks would improve to a fourth-round selection. Update: Arthur Staple of Newsday reports Boyle will let the Islanders know by the end of this week whether he is interested in contract negotiations with the team. Staying in Beantown? Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com reports the Boston Bruins have started contract negotiations with veteran forward Jarome Iginla. Iginla finished the regular season tied for the Bruins lead in goals and led the Bruins in playoff goals with five. According to Haggerty, the Bruins are pushing to re-sign to the 36-year-old to a contract very similar to his one-year 2013-2014 deal, which paid him $1.8 million. Price too high? David Staples of the Edmonton Journal considers the possibility of the Oilers acquiring either Nazem Kadri or Jake Gardiner from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Staples reports that the Oilers could have interest in both players to improve the team and mentions that both played under Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins with the Toronto Marlies. However, Staples believes the price for either player will be too high for the Oilers unless the team decides to make a "major effort" by offering Nail Yakupov, David Perron or their first round draft pick. Michael Harris Womens Jersey . "Maybe I looked in the mirror," Carlyle said, chuckling as he walked off. Blossoming into something special for the Leafs, van Riemsdyk set a new career-high Tuesday night with his 41st point this season, also equaling a career mark with his 21st goal of the year, the game-winner in a 3-2 edging of the Lightning. Manti Teo Womens Jersey . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete.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. Dear Mr. Fraser, In the Islanders/Blues game on Saturday, the Isles had the apparent game-winning goal overturned in overtime because of a distinct kicking motion by Thomas Vanek. This was the explanation the referee received from Toronto after the goal was reviewed. Ive watched the play over and over, I cant see any kicking motion, let alone a distinct one. The Isles broadcast team thought it was a good goal. They even reported the Blues broadcast team called it a good goal. The Blues goalie (Jaroslav Halak) skated toward the gate leading to the visitors locker room (clearly, he must have figured it was a good goal). The NHL uses the word "distinct" to describe the words "kicking motion." According to the dictionary, "distinct" means readily distinguishable by the senses. I would imagine that if the NHL added "distinct" they meant that the motion could not be interpreted as anything other than a kicking motion. What does a "distinct kicking motion" look like from a referees perspective? As a fan, I would assume the knee would have to bend a bit or the thigh would have to move somewhat, especially if we are talking about a motion being "distinct." I know the NHL can overturn referees calls if there is conclusive evidence, but what does mean if the video doesnt seem to support the explanation. Does the NHL mean "distinct kicking motion" in a figurative or a literal way? Is there an explanation for "distinct" that the NHL uses that fans and internet analysts are not aware of? How does the NHL determine conclusive evidence to overturn a call, especially when most people watching assumed the goal was a good one? The refs didnt spend a long time at the timekeepers station, so the evidence should have been distinct to everyone watching, which is wasnt according to how many people thought the goal should have stood. The NHL had to see something that they consider "distinct," but that the rest of people watching may not have considered (this is my speculation). Its that "something" that has prompted my email inquiry to you. Was this simply a bad call by the guys in Toronto (a frustrating bad call in my personal opinion)? I appreciate you taking the time to read this email. I enjoy reading your column on TSN.ca. Thank you,Michael Bonet Michael: Thank you for your detailed question along with the logical (and expert) analysis you provided relative to the goal Thomas Vanek scored in overtime. To the referees eye, mind and perspective Thomas Vanek did NOT use a "distinct kicking motion" to propel the puck past Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak and score the game-winning goal in overtime. This was another example of an "officiating decisiion" made correctly on the ice that was overturned by "non-officiating personnel" that staff the Situation Room on a nightly basis. Vincent Brown Jersey. (NFL and MLB employ and empower referees/umpires to make final video review decisions). The guidelines and definition in determining a "distinct kicking motion" must have changed drastically, at least concerning Situation Room criteria employed, from when the kicking puck rule was first explained to my colleagues and I during a training camp meeting the season the rule was implemented. Otherwise Thomas Vaneks goal and the one scored by Brendan Gallagher of the Habs against Martin Brodeur last week (both of which were deemed legal by the referee in great position on the ice) would not have been overturned and disallowed through the video review process. The definition in rule 38.4 (iv) remains the same as when it was explained to us in that training camp meeting by Hockey Ops that still control the Situation Room. "A DISTINCT KICKING MOTION is one which, with a pendulum motion, the player propels the puck with his skate into the net. If the Video Goal Judge determines that it was put into the net by an attacking player using a distinct kicking motion, it must be ruled NO GOAL." As you correctly pointed out, Michael, the former NHL players working as analysts on both the NY Islanders and St. Louis Blues broadcast teams were convinced that Vaneks goal should count. They went so far as to say that Vanek wouldnt have known where the puck was as he rotated his body position away from Halak at the top of the goal crease and was then shoved from behind by Alexander Steen of the Blues. A referees perspective would clearly indicate that the bump from behind by Steen changed Vaneks rotation to a forward motion toward the net and caused the puck to be deflected off Vaneks skate and into the net. (Rule 49.2 - A puck that deflects into the net off an attacking players skate who does not use a distinct kicking motion is a legitimate goal. A puck that is directed into the net by an attacking plays skate shall be a legitimate goal as long as no distinct kicking motion is evident). We can envision various legal plays when a player is allowed to deliberately turn and angle his skate to direct a puck into the net or even makes a natural sliding stop at the crease in order to contact the puck causing it to enter the goal. Unless there has been some change in the definition and criteria of a "distinct kicking motion" it makes no sense that Thomas Vaneks goal would be disallowed through a video review decision. If there has been a "distinct" change in the criteria that the Situation Room employs in rendering their exclusive decisions, perhaps it is time they advise the rest of the hockey world! Until that takes place, Michael, this decision will be viewed by most as "simply a bad call by the guys in Toronto!" ' ' '
The Maple Leafs have a hole down the middle, a Ducks centre making the most of his opportunity, plus notes on Chris Kreider, Kris Versteeg, Robin Lehner, Alex Goligoski and more in Scott Cullens latest blog. Junior Seau Womens Jersey . 1. As the Toronto Maple Leafs have lost C David Bolland, indefinitely (for a long time by most guesses) due to a severed ankle tendon, there is a glaring need at centre, particularly with C Tyler Bozak also sidelined with a hamstring injury. In the short-term, the Leafs have moved James van Riemsdyk to centre on the top line, shifting Nazem Kadri to centre on the second line and veteran checker Jay McClement handles the third-line duties. When Bozak returns, and presumably van Riemsdyk moves back to left wing, there is going to be a need for another centre, ideally one that can handle top nine minutes. While there are any number of ways to address the need, including a blockbuster for a premier centre, the most obvious would be to find a player on an expiring contract -- the proverbial rental -- playing for a team that might not be in the playoff mix, that can handle playing one of the top three centre spots. Here are a few options that might be available for trade: Steve Ott, Buffalo - In the final year of a contract with a $2.95-million cap hit, Ott is an agitator who is playing a career-high 19:05 for the lowly Sabres. He can score a bit, but is probably best-suited to a third-line role. He figures to be a sought-after commodity, if/when the Sabres move him, so he wont necessarily come cheaply. Matt Stajan, Calgary - Former Leaf was traded to Calgary in 2009 and hes under-performed, certainly relative to his $3.5-million cap hit, but as a third-line centre, Stajan is a solid enough two-way player that he could fill that role. He can provide some offence from time to time, but plays a responsible enough two-way game to fit in the top nine. David Legwand, Nashville - 33-year-old has played 908 games for the Predators and has a no-trade clause, but will be an unrestricted free agent at seasons end. If the Predators, who have depth down the middle, arent prepared to keep Legwand and they cant stay in contention, then maybe it would make sense to get some value in return (of course, pending Legwands approval). These are hardly the only options. There are veterans who would likely be easy to acquire (Scott Gomez, Olli Jokinen) or the Leafs could set their sights on Montreals David Desharnais or Dallas Shawn Horcoff. Considering his parting comments for coach Randy Carlyle, its probably too much to hope for the Leafs to try and bring back Washingtons Mikhail Grabovski. In any case, the Leafs probably cant afford to stand pat and just hope that they can remain a playoff team despite the loss of Bolland who, incidentally, has been excellent. 2. Its not unusual for a player to get a better opportunity playing on a new team, especially for a coach that is familiar with him from his previous team, but Ducks C Mathieu Perreault has really made the most of his chance in Anaheim. Hes playing a little more, a career-high 13:55 per game, and has good linemates -- Teemu Selanne and Jakob Silfverberg (both currently injured) -- have been his most common linemates. Recently, it has been Devante Smith-Pelly and Emerson Etem, with some Dustin Penner sprinkled in there. With opposing defences geared towards stopping the Ducks top line, it provides good opportunity for Perreault to generate offence and hes done that, ranking fourth in points/60 minutes of play. Its not entirely a fluke, either. Perreault is a high-percentage finisher (18.7 SH% for his career ranks best among players with at least 200 shots since 2009-2010), so he should continue to finish at a high rate. On the other hand, his on-ice shooting percentage (12.2%) is also very high, even if middle-of-the-pack on the Ducks currently, and it would be a career-high for Perreault. So, sure, there will be some regression, but if hes left in an offensive role all season, its entirely reasonable to expect a new career-high in points for Perreault, whose previous best was 30 points in 64 games in 2011-2012. Maybe something closer to 45-50 points is possible for this season. 3. Rangers rookie LW Chris Kreider was a disappointment last season, scoring two goals and three points in 23 games (and only 23 points in 48 AHL games), but hes been much better this season. He started the year in the American Hockey League, but after four points in six games, was recalled to the Rangers, where he has a couple of goals and six points in seven game, while playing with Derek Stepan and either Brad Richards or Mats Zuccarello. Whats encouraging about Kreider is that he also has strong possession numbers and is generating shots on goal (2.43 per game, compared to 0.83 per game last season), so he may actually be able to sustain some offensive production. 4. Panthers RW Kris Versteeg has had a tough road coming back from reconstructive knee surgery. Hes been a healthy scratch, played a season-low 10:48 in his last game (Nov. 1 vs. St. Louis) and has one point in his last five games. But dont write him off just yet. Versteeg is getting chances -- a career-high 2.69 shots on goal per game -- and his possession stats are strong. Combine that with the fact that hes a four-time 20-goal scorer on a team lacking proven offensive performers and Versteeg ought to find better results soon enough. 5. Senators G Craig Anderson suffered a neck injury against Dallas and, while it doesnt appear to be serious, it does give Robin Lehner opportunity to see more action. While the Senators are allowing a league-high 38.5 shots against per game, Anderson has come back to earth with a .912 save percentage (following a league-leading .941 SV% last season), but Lehner continues to play well in limited duty. In 22 games, over the last three seasons, Lehner has a .936 save percentage, the kind of play that begs for more playing time. 6. Its been hard enough for the New Jersey Devils to score this season, tied for 27th with 1.86 goals per game, but they have been forced to juggle lines recently with Patrik Elias and Travis Zajac out of the lineup. Jaromir Jagr has skated with Dainius Zubrus and Andrei Loktionov on one scoring line, while Adam Henrique centered Mattias Tedenby and Michael Ryder. Those lines arent causing opposing teams sleepless nights as they prepare to face the Devils. 7. After some trying times under new coach Lindy Ruff, Stars D Alex Goligoski has averaged 24:41 of ice time over the last four games, scoring a couple of goals. Hes been paired with Jordie Benn, who has played more than 20 minutes in each of the last four games (only the second time in his career he has such a four-game streak). Their ice time has come at the expense of Sergei Gonchar and Trevor Daley, who are in the 16-18 minute range. 8. Missing defencemen Jacob Trouba, Mark Stuart and Paul Postma, the Winnipeg Jets picked up D Keaton Ellerby on waivers from Los Angeles. Ellerby was the 10th overall pick in 2007 and had played 160 NHL games with Florida and Los Angeles before joining the Jets. Its a good opportunity for Ellerby to get playing time, something that wasnt happening in Los Angeles this year, and the Jets definitely need whatever NHL-ready help they can find to back-fill for those injuries. 9. Lightning D Radko Gudas is a hard-hitting rookie defenceman who played 22 games for the Lightning last season and he showed in that trial what kind of player he could be in the NHL, racking up 38 penalty minutes and 87 hits, along with five points in those 22 games. This season, Gudas has amped it up. In 14 games, hes playing a prominent role, 19:40 per game, and is the only player in the league with at least 30 blocked shots and 50 hits. He also has 55 penalty minutes in 14 games. As might be expected, looking at those numbers, his puck possession stats arent ideal, but hes also contributed a goal and four assists in the last eight games so, as much as hes a physical force, he can contribute with the puck on his stick too. 10. Bruins prospect Ryan Spooner got called up for a couple of games while RW Loui Eriksson was injured, and Spooner gave a solid accounting of himself, contributing a couple of assists in limited ice time. With Eriksson returning to action, was sent back to Providence, where he has seven points in eight games, but if the Bruins need offence inserted into their lineup at any point this season, they know where to look first. 11. Hurricanes rookie D Ryan Murphy has been held without a point over the last five games, and was fined for clipping, but there are positives to take from this span. Hes played more than 20 minutes in each of those five games, averaging 21:33 per game. Its not surprising, given the lack of offensive talent on the Carolina defence, but Murphy has ample opportunity to produce, even as a rookie. 12. Canadiens C David Desharnais is going to be a healthy scratch for Tuesdays game against St. Louis. With the Canadiens moving second-year forward Alex Galchenyuk to centre, on the second line, and Lars Eller to the third line centre spot, Desharnais was left without a natural fit. In some respects this could be seen as a decision precipitated by the emergence of rookie winger Michael Bournival, who remains on the top line with Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta, but its also a reflection of Desharnais play this season. He has no goals and one assist in 15 games, has subpar possession numbers and, for a guy who is listed at 5-foot-7, he has to produce if hes going to keep a spot in the lineup. Given that hes under contract for three more years after this one, at a cap hit of $3.5-million, Desharnais will get another chance to play, but hes obviously not in a good spot right now. 13. The Edmonton Oilerss list of injured forwards includes Jesse Joensuu, Taylor Hall, Ryan Smyth and David Perron -- all left wingers. Yet, they have not recalled Linus Omark from Oklahoma City, where the 26-year-old has eight goals and 12 points, with a minus-8 rating, in 12 games. Isnt it at least possible that he would be better than one of Nail Yakupov, Ryan Jones, Ben Eager or Ryan Hamilton? 14. Kings RW Jeff Carter is on IR, which prompted the recall of Tyler Toffoli from Manchester of the AHL, where Toffoli had seven goals and 12 points in 10 games. Toffoli had an assist in his first game of the season with the Kings, playing a career-high 19:23 on a line with C Mike Richards and either Dwight King or Daniel Carcillo on the left side. In Saturdays loss to Nashville, King played a career-high 21:04. 15. Sharks RW Martin Havlat has returned to the lineup and its at a good time, while the Sharks are still missing RW Brent Burns. When Burns is ready to come back, that will require some finesse from head coach Todd McLellan, since the Sharks line combinations had been awfully effective, particularly when Burns was healthy. For his part, Havlat has no points and three shots on goal in his first couple of games and now has 45 points in 81 games with San Jose. FIRST NHL GAMESJordan Szwarz, RW, Phoenix - A fourth-round pick in 2009, Szwarz has played the last two seasons in the AHL, scoring 53 points in 118 games, but he started strong this year, with five points in six games, and has played 6:16 per game in three games for the Coyotes. He did score his first NHL goal against Nashville on Halloween. Reto Berra, G, Calgary - A 26-year-old with a .908 save percentage in nine AHL games, Berra was promoted to the Flames because he may still be a better option than Joey MacDonald or Karri Ramo, who have both struggled. Berra stopped 42 of 44 shots to win his debut against Chicago. Jon Merrill, D, New Jersey - Drafted in the second round in 2010, Merrill is a talented defenceman with good size, who had some off-ice trouble while at the University of Michigan, limiting his playing time over the last couple seasons. He does have 15 points in 23 AHL games, including late last season and early this season, so he should upgrade the Devils ability to move the puck out of their own end, but his debut could have gone better. He skated just 1:16 before he was tripped by Wild winger Torrey Mitchell and crashed into the end boards, ending his game. Ben Chiarot, D, Winnipeg - A stay-at-home defenceman drafted in the fourth-round in 2009, Chiarot was pressed into service due to injuries. He was minus-3 and generally overmatched in 10:47 against the Blackhawks, which isnt exactly the easiest matchup for ones first NHL game. CHIRPING"I cannot say I dont play well. I cant blame the hands because they were pretty good to me all my life. So, I blamed the sticks.” - Jaromir Jagr, shifts the blame. "I feel like this year the cockiness is coming back a little bit." - More Jagr. "To play in Madison Square Garden is something special. I love New York. There are so many great things to do here, and I guess another one is to win a hockey game." - Ducks G Frederik Andersen, after Mondays win. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Mike Scifres Chargers Jersey . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Keenan Allen Womens Jersey . Canada (5-2) is tied with Korea, Switzerland and Russia for top spot. Rocques rink from Edmonton led the Americans 6-4 after eight ends and scored two in the ninth to cement its third straight win.Late 1977. Roger Peart receives a call from the president of the Fédération Automobile Québécoise. Its the Labatt beer company, the then-title sponsor of the Canadian Grand Prix held annually at Mosport near Toronto. They want to know if Montreal can host a Formula One race. "Great question," says Peart, who then asks for a little time for reflection — 30 minutes to be precise. "I first thought of Île Notre-Dame. Then, I looked at a route that would start and end at the Olympic Stadium, but that would have been devilishly complicated to implement. I even looked at [building a track at] Laval." "We didnt have to go far down those roads," says Peart. "The first idea was always going to be the best." After 30 minutes, he phoned his interlocutor back to tell him yes, Montreal could accommodate a full-fledged Formula One Grand Prix, and that the best venue was Île Notre-Dame – a man-made island built to host Expo 67 a decade earlier – if for no other reason than its excellent access to public transit. The timing was perfect. Montreals then-Mayor Jean Drapeau had just announced that the artificial island would be devoted to sporting events, while the neighbouring nature-made Île Sainte-Hélène would host cultural-type events. By April 1978, Montreals city council had accepted the idea of a racetrack — "on the express condition that it cost the taxpayers nothing," recalls Peart. Peart, an engineer, is well-known in the world of international racing. Over the past five decades, he has not only competed as a driver (largely in amateur races) but has monitored and inspected racing circuits all over the world. Now 80-years-old, Peart is still president of the Canadian National Sports Authority (ASN Canada), and the only sports commissioner in the country recognized by the Fédération Internationale de lAutomobile (FIA), Formula Ones governing body. Unsurprisingly, it was Peart who was given the mandate to design the Île Notre-Dame track, which would need to meet Formula Ones rigid standards. The Briton, who was then living in Montreal (he now calls Ontario home), still remembers the moment he went to first inspect what would become Canadas most famed racetrack. Mother Nature had dropped a major snowfall on top of the island, forcing him to develop the initial drafts without even being able to inspect the actual ground he was surveying. "I remember those days at my cottage in Saint-Sauveur in the Laurentians; when skiing conditions were poor, I drew up plans, plans and plans again." The challenge was more than he expected. "First, I had to ignore the old pavilions of the Expo 67 scheduled for demolition. Then I had to deal with some elements – the lake and park in the center, the river on one side, the Olympic basin on the other – that were obviously there to stay." "There wasnt much space and I had to fit a circuit in there, with rights and turns." Despite the challenges, the track, by and large, remains almost the same as Peart originally designed it. The buildings to the east of the island, where the boathouse was situated and where the hairpin turn is still today, were originally used as the pits. One weekend a year, the boats would then give way to the F1 cars — "It was an economical solution," recalls Peart. Because of the impracticality of this arrangement, new pits have subsequently been built in their current location, to the west, just before the Senna turn. This is the most significant change in the circuits 36-year history, a testimony to the excellence of Pearts original design. "Everything Was Going Too Fast!" The consttruction of the circuit that would later bear the name of Gilles Villeneuve was executed in record time. Donald Brown Jersey. "It was a crazy time," says Peart. "Everything was going too fast!" After a winter spent developing the best possible layout, the British engineer travelled to Europe to attain approval for the plans by the FIA. By May 1978, after a meeting in Monaco, approval was granted and the construction began shortly thereafter, in July 1978. The first F1 race was held barely three months later. A Fairy Tale for All Sunday, October 8, 1978. The first of 35 Grand Prix of Canada races to be held on the new Circuit Île-Notre-Dame – its been held there every year since 78, except in 1987 during a sponsorship dispute between Labatt and Molson, and in 2009 when event funding became an issue – unfolds like a fairy. Its a fairy tale for Peart, who, serving as the race director, gets to hear firsthand from racers like Jackie Stewart that "his circuit" is "a little paradise in the middle of a great river." Its also a fairy tale for the Quebec public. In a race seemingly scripted by the gods of motor racing, Quebecs own Gilles Villeneuve takes the inaugural checkered flag in his Ferrari to the delight of more than 72,000 excited spectators. Its Villeneuves first win in 19 races, and he receives his much-deserved trophy from Prime Minister Pierre-Elliot Trudeau. For Ferrari, it is the companys first success in eight years. The track would be renamed in 1982 to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in honour of its first champion after Villeneuve tragically died in a crash during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix 36 Years Later: Peart Still Hasnt Missed a Race A technical track - Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve requires full concentration at all times and leaves little room for error. It is a circuit of long fast rights, interrupted by tight corners where, even today, the tires, brakes, engines and transmissions are strained to their limits. However, "unlike so many other F1 racetracks, Montreal has several opportunities for overtaking," says Peart. "That means the races are always exciting." Peart has not missed a Canadian Grand Prix since 1978. He watches every race from the control tower, as one of the three sports commissioners delegated by the FIA. This year will be the first exception as Peart has delegated his position to another steward — hell still be there, just with a different view. And if you happen upon him and ask if, after all these years, he would change anything about his original design? Hell tell you that, to this day, throughout the world, he has never seen a track as perfect. Encounter With A Young Gilles Villeneuve Early 1970s. Peart is, at the time, chief instructor at the Fédération Automobile du Québec, when as he recalls, "a quiet little man from Berthierville comes to see me." "He wanted to drive race cars. I asked him about his experience, and he replied that he was racing, of all things, snowmobiles. "As our summer events were all finished, I suggested he rent [some time at] Sanair [Super Speedway], bring along a car and we would see what kind of automobile racer he would make." "The day he showed up with his brothers Mustang, I had to leave for a business appointment. But I asked a fellow instructor to work with him and give me a report. Later in the day, the instructor called me, excitedly saying, Hey, boss, we may have something here!" "Each and every lap, the young Gilles Villeneuve was faster than his instructor. Obviously, we gave him his racing license." "I remember that to thank me, he wanted to give me a five-dollar tip." Via www.Autofocus.ca ' ' '
LONDON -- Norwich and Cardiff were charged by the English Football Association on Thursday following an angry confrontation between both sets of players during a Premier League match. David Johnson Chargers Jersey . Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall kicked the ball out of play to allow an opposition player to receive treatment in second-half injury time Saturday, but Norwich midfielder Leroy Fer shot into an empty Cardiff net following the resulting throw-in. The goal was disallowed because the referee hadnt ordered the throw-in to be taken, but it didnt stop Cardiffs players and coaching staff from becoming infuriated at what they perceived as a lack of sportsmanship. The FA said the two clubs have been charged "for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion" during the incident. The match finished 0-0. Hull manager Steve Bruce was also charged by the FA on Thursday with misconduct following his comments to the media after conceding a controversial penalty to lose 1-0 at Tottenham in the league on Sunday. "It was a joke decision," Bruce said. "Would we have got it? Im not so sure." Bruce was charged with calling into question "the integrity of the match referee, and/or implied that the match referee was motivated by bias; and/or brought the game into disrepute."Junior Seau Jersey . Canada (5-2) is tied with Korea, Switzerland and Russia for top spot. Rocques rink from Edmonton led the Americans 6-4 after eight ends and scored two in the ninth to cement its third straight win. Dan Fouts Jersey .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me.TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired Arizona Cardinals front-office executive Jason Licht to help coach Lovie Smith transform a team that hasnt won a playoff game in more than a decade into a championship contender. The struggling franchise confirmed the move Tuesday and plans to formally introduce him as the fifth GM in club history at a news conference Thursday. Licht has been with the Cardinals for the past two seasons, the last one as vice-president of player personnel. "Jason is a seasoned NFL personnel veteran who has worked with some of the most accomplished individuals in professional football while contributing to success in New England, Philadelphia and Arizona," Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said. "His strong player personnel background provides the ideal complement to Lovie Smiths philosophy as our head coach," Glazer added. "We look forward to working with Jason and Lovie as we set the foundation and chart the course for the future of Buccaneers football." Licht was Arizona general manager Steve Keims right-hand man in the overhaul of the Cardinals roster last off-season, which resulted in a 10-6 record in 2013 -- an improvement of five wins over the previous year. He succeeds Mark Dominik, who was fired after the Buccaneers went 4-12. The Bucs also dismissed coach Greg Schiano after missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season and replaced him with Smith, who won three division championships and one NFC title while coaching the Chicago Bears from 2004 to 2012. Tampa Bay last made the playoffs in 2007 and hasnt won a post-season game since its 2002 Super Bowl run produced the franchises only NFL championship. Lichts challenge in his new position will reshaping the roster and helping Smith improve a team that went 28-52 during Dominiks five years as GM. Larry English Jersey. . Licht also has worked for the Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins during a career as an executive that spans nearly 20 years in five different organizations. The hire was first reported by Fox Sports. The Bucs have only had one winning season last making the playoffs, however the roster is not devoid of talent. After years doing little to upgrade the roster through in free agency, ownership spent generously the past two offseasons while bringing in players such as cornerback Darrelle Revis, safety Dashon Goldson, receiver Vincent Jackson and offensive lineman Carl Nicks. The first major decision Licht and Smith face personnel-wise figures to be determining if Mike Glennon is the teams quarterback of the future. A third-round draft pick in 2013, Glennon started the final 13 games as rookie, going 4-9 and hardly proving hes the answer to the teams struggles. The Bucs, who have the seventh pick in this springs draft, finished last in the league in passing and total offence. Smith is a defensive-minded coach who plans to bring back a version of the Tampa 2 system that the Bucs popularized during a successful run under Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Revis and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy were Pro Bowl selections this season, and young linebacker Lavonte David and safety Mark Barron have promising futures. Smith hired former Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier as defensive co-ordinator. Former California coach Jeff Tedford, who coached Aaron Rodgers in college, is the new offensive co-ordinator. ' ' '
