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NEW YORK – This was nothing new to the L. Bryan Cristante AC Milan Jersey .A. Kings. Time and time again in these playoffs, theyve stared adversity dead in the eye and come out on top. So when Justin Williams, holder of two Cups himself, looked around the dressing room at his teammates after 40 minutes of Game 2 – his team trailing by two goals for the fourth time in three games – he saw not doubt or fear of the Rangers snatching momentum of the 2014 Final, but belief - cold, hard belief. “Were not a team that wilts under the pressure,” said Williams, owner of 23 points in the playoffs. “Were a team that goes out and wants to make a difference and gets it. I feel thats a big reason why weve made it so far.” Three grueling series this spring, all stretched to the max opposite the very best the West had to offer, each dotted with varying threats to a second Cup in three years. But at every point along the way these Kings have found a little something extra – another gear, another goal, another save – unwavering in their ability to overcome a challenge, however tall or insurmountable it may seem. “Every series, every game, every year you play in the league you go through experiences that ultimately will help you in certain situations and I feel together as a team weve been through almost all them you could imagine and weve pulled through,” said Williams, who boasts 949 career NHL games, including 112 in the postseason. “So when were down do we feel comfortable? No, we dont feel comfortable, but we feel like were able to come back. “Belief is a very underrated attribute and we have that going on within our team right now.” It was another 2-0 pit at Staples Center on Saturday evening – the third such hole in as many games – just another obstacle for the Western Conference champs. But in familiar fashion (they did it against the Sharks, Ducks and Hawks) the silver and black forced their way back into the fold, ultimately dashing the Rangers hopes yet again in (double) overtime. Remarkably, the Kings have yet to lead at any point in regulation in the Final and still boast a commanding 2-0 series lead. “We find ourselves in the same situation regurgitating the same mumbo jumbo every time, but were in a results oriented league and the results are were up 2-0,” said Williams. “I dont care how we got here.” Another Cup, thus, appears close at hand for the 32-year-old and an always plucky bunch from southern California. Forty-eight teams have taken a 2-0 series lead in the Final since 1939 with all but five going on to capture the games top prize, including L.A. in 2012. But for whatever history might say the Kings know full well that theres plenty of game left, their own checkered track record in these playoffs the best proof of that. It was L.A. on the mat and apparently down for the count in round one against the Sharks – they rallied with four straight wins – and then seemingly in control against the Ducks in round two – they were up 2-0 in the series before losing three straight – before another dose of Game 7 magic was required. “Obviously momentums a huge part of playoff hockey and once a team has it its important to try to switch the tide in your favour as quick as possible,” said Dwight King from the teams hotel, sitting directly across from Central Park, his controversial third period goal timely in the 5-4 victory. “Teams dont make it this far out of luck,” Williams added. “Do we feel weve broken them? No, absolutely not. We should know that more than anybody; that its tough to put a team down. Especially when youre playing for the Stanley Cup its going to be hard to put a team down, but we need to try to step a little bit more on the throat tomorrow.” Finding their way to the borough of Manhattan on Sunday afternoon (after an early cross-country flight), the city buzzing with a flurry excitement at the Rangers first appearance in the Final in 20 years, the Kings exuded a quiet, knowing confidence, mindful of the improved start theyll need at MSG on Monday night and yet self-assured in their ability to handle whatever challenges Game 3 might throw their way. Williams knew what he saw of his teammates in that dressing room just a day earlier – “I saw a prepared team that knew what they had to do” – and he knows as well as anyone that more, much more will be needed in the days ahead. Iker Casillas Real Madrid Jersey . General manager Ken Holland told Ansar Khan of MLive.com that DeKeyser has a broken right thumb. Head coach Mike Babcock said that he believes DeKeyser is done for the season. http://www.worldsocceronlineshop.com/Juventus-Fc-Arturo-Vidal-Jersey.html .cas NHL Play of the Year showdown continues today with a battle between two goaltenders making the highlight reel in completely opposite ways.TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Cleanthony Early scored 19 points and Tekele Cotton added 14 as No. 4 Wichita State remained unbeaten with a 65-58 victory at Indiana State on Wednesday night. The Shockers (24-0, 11-0 Missouri Valley) extended their school-record winning streak and improved to 11-0 in conference play for the first time in school history. They have won three straight in the series. The only undefeated team in Division I is No. 2 Syracuse (22-0). Manny Arup had 16 points and Jake Odum added 11 for Indiana State (17-6, 8-3) which couldnt avoid a rare home loss. The Sycamores were 8-0 at home this season and fell to 40-11 at the Hulman Center under fourth-year coach Greg Lansing. Four of those losses have come to the Shockers. Wichita State led 50-39 with 12:34 to go. Indiana State got as close as 58-56 with 2:01 to go but the Sycamores missed four of eight free throws down the stretch. It was the first time a team ranked this high played in Terre Haute since Larry Birds Sycamores were ranked No. 1 during the 1978-79 season. And the festive crowd couldnt wait. Students began lining up more than two hours before tip-off despite chilly temperratures and 6 inches of new snow.http://www.worldsocceronlineshop.com/Chelsea-Fc-Cesar-Azpilicueta-Jersey.html. When they got inside, almost every fan in the building was decked out in blue. But on the court, the emotions took a toll. The Sycamore shooters struggled, making just 32.1 per cent. Wichita State, meanwhile, didnt look sluggish at all despite having its arrival delayed until midday Wednesday by the winter storm. Instead, they started fast and finished it off by scoring the final seven points to pull away. In between, the Sycamores played valiantly. They fought back from an early deficit to get within 36-35 at halftime, and opened the second half by taking a 37-36 lead. The Shockers fended off that challenge with defence. It forced six straight missed shots and went on a 14-2 run to take its biggest lead of the game, 50-39 with 12:34 to play. But when Indiana State heated up again, it stormed back. The Sycamores scored eight straight to close to 52-50 just 3 1/2 minutes later and got as close as 58-56 late. They had a chance to tie it, but Justin Gant was too far underneath the basket for a layup. Indiana State never got another chance to tie it because of the missed free throws. ' ' '
TOWSON, Md. Justin Houston Womens Jersey . -- Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith became the fifth player on the team to be arrested during the off-season after he received a criminal citation Saturday night for failing to follow an officers orders. The incident occurred after Baltimore County police were called to a Towson restaurant because a woman had reportedly passed out in the bathroom. Police arrived and found the woman vomiting into a sink in the bathroom. Police say Smith was with her and refused to obey an officers repeated orders to leave the bathroom. Smith, 25, was cited late Saturday at a police precinct in Towson and then released. A Ravens spokesman said Sunday that the team is "gathering information" on the incident. Four other Ravens had encounters with the law this off-season. Running back Ray Rice was arrested for felony assault; offensive lineman Jah Reid was cited for felony aggravated assault; wide receiver Deonte Thompson was arrested for felony possession of marijuana; and running back Lorenzo Taliaferro was charged with misdemeanour destruction of property. Rice and Reid were accepted into a pretrial diversion program. Thompson had the charges dropped. Taliaferro has a court date scheduled for later this month. Smith started all 16 games for the Ravens last season. He had 58 tackles, two interceptions and forced two fumbles in his third NFL season. A first-round pick in 2011, Smith was a key contributor to Baltimores Super Bowl win in February 2013. He had three tackles and knocked away a pass during the Ravens goal-line stand in the closing minutes of a 34-31 victory over San Francisco. Jamaal Charles Elite Jersey . The timetable for his return is unclear, but the prognosis is optimistic. Though sobered by and concerned about the news, the Twins expressed confidence in the ability of their front offices long-time leader to beat the disease and get back to running the team. Dee Ford Chiefs Jersey . TSN Radio 990 and TSN Radio 1290 can be heard nationally on TSN Mobile and also online with their own specialized pages at TSN.ca. TSN 990 is the official home of Montreal Canadiens play-by-play coverage, with John Bartlett, Sergio Momesso and Bobby Dollas behind the mike.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nolan Ryan is leaving the Texas Rangers again, stepping away from his CEO role 20 years after ending his Hall of Fame career as a pitcher. In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. He is also selling his ownership stake in the team to co-chairmen Ray Davis and Bob Simpson. "It closes a chapter of my life in baseball," Ryan said. "I feel like its time for me to move on to other things. Its been a decision that weighed on me heavily, but I feel like its the right decision. ... At this point and time, its the correct thing for me to do." Asked about the difference in the team announcing that he was retiring and him calling it a resignation, the 66-year-old Ryan paused and then said he wouldnt be the CEO of another major league team and called this perhaps the "final chapter" of his storied career in baseball. Ryans older son, Reid, became president of the Houston Astros earlier this year. Nolan Ryan dismissed any speculation that hes leaving the Rangers to join his son and another of the teams he pitched for and worked for in the past. The move takes effect Oct. 31. Ryan became the 10th president of the Rangers in February 2008 when he was hired by former owner Tom Hicks. Ryan added the title of CEO three years later. He was also part of the ownership group that acquired the team in August 2010, months before its first World Series. Ryans departure comes less than a year after ownership gave general manager Jon Daniels and chief operating officer Rick George new presidential titles and took the presidents title from Ryan. Davis insisted the change in Ryans title earlier this year was just that. "From a corporation standpoint, Nolans authority didnt change at all," Davis said. "On all major decisions on baseball, Nolan made all final decisions." Ryan said the title change wasnt a factor in his decision. "I dont look at it from that perspective," Ryan said. "I just look at it from where I am in life and what I want to do going forward and thats what really drove my decision." George left in July to become the athletic director at the University of Colorado. Daniels attended the news conference at Rangers Ballpark, but left without speaking to reporters. Davis said the ownership group is disappointed with Ryans decision but understands it. Simpson said he tried to talk Ryan out of leaving.http://www.nflchiefsus.com/Elite-Dee-Ford-Mens-Jersey-Kansas-City-Chiefs-55-Grey-Shadow-Nike-NFL-40.html. "You dont wake up one day and make a decision of this magnitude," Ryan said. "It was something Ive been thinking about on and off for a while now. Just felt like it was probably time for me to move on." Ryan said he planned to go home and enjoy getting back out to his ranch "and doing things I havent done for six years now. ... I dont know what a year from now might bring. This may be the final chapter of my baseball career." Texas made its only two World Series appearances during Ryans six seasons in the front office. The Rangers have averaged more than 90 wins the past five seasons, though they missed the playoffs this year after losing an AL wild-card tiebreaker game to Tampa Bay. "During times of significant change for the franchise, Nolan has been a constant -- accessible, dedicated and an icon to his fellow Texans who love our game," Commissioner Bud Selig said. "Nolans unique perspective as a legendary player and an accomplished executive has been invaluable to the Rangers franchise." Ryans name has been synonymous with the Rangers for decades. The major league strikeout king with 5,714 spent the last five seasons of his playing days in a Rangers uniform, getting his 300th victory, throwing the last two of his record seven no-hitters and getting his 5,000th strikeout. He retired as player after the 1993 season. His No. 34 jersey is the only one worn by a Rangers player to be retired, and there is a statue of the pitcher at Rangers Ballpark. He is the only player in the Hall of Fame whose bust is topped by a Texas cap. "As his son, I am extremely proud of what he has accomplished as both a player and as a front office executive. He was an integral part of all three of the World Series appearances by Texas teams, in 2005 with the Astros and in 2010-11 with the Rangers," Reid Ryan said in a statement. "He has always treated the game with dignity and respect and has appreciated those that make our game great: the fans, players and employees," he said. The co-chairmen said there are no immediate plans to announce a new CEO. Rob Matwick, whos currently executive vice-president of ballpark and event operations, will take on more responsibilities with the help of others who have also been shifted into new roles. As for representing the Rangers in MLB business, Davis said hed "be the control person for the next two or three years, and Bob and I will rotate that title." ' ' '
Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Ramon Hernandez hit a three-run game-winning homer, as the Cincinnati Reds scored four times in the bottom of the ninth to come back and shock the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-6, in the 2011 season opener for both clubs at Great American Ball Park. http://www.packersstore.us.com/53-nike-game-nick-perry-womens-jersey-nfl-green-bay-packers-road-white.html . Holding a 6-3 lead, John Axford (0-1) came on for the Brewers to try and close out the game in the ninth, but was unable to do so. The closer allowed a leadoff single to Brandon Phillips, then issued a walk to Joey Votto, before Scott Rolen reached on a fielders choice that loaded the bases. Jay Bruce went down on strikes and Jonny Gomes lined a first-pitch fastball to center that was good for a sacrifice fly, making it a 6-4 game. Hernandez then stepped in and lined a second-pitch four-seam fastball over the wall in right to give the Reds a dramatic 7-6 victory. For this to happen to me on Opening Day is amazing, Hernandez said about his three-run homer. Hernandez finished 4-for-5 and Drew Stubbs added a solo homer and double for the Reds, who hope to take another step forward after capturing the National League Central title last season. Cincinnati earned its first division title since 1995, but were quickly eliminated in the playoffs, falling to Philadelphia in three games in the NL Division Series, highlighted by Roy Halladays no-hitter in Game 1. Votto, the Reigning NL MVP was rewarded with a three-year, $38 million contract extension in the offseason, had a solo homer and drove in two in the win. The 27-year-old flirted with a triple crown in 2010. He ended the year with 37 home runs (third in the league), 113 runs batted in (third) and a .324 batting average (second). Edinson Volquez got the starting nod and was touched for five runs on seven hits with two walks. The right-hander fanned five, but allowed three home runs over six innings. Logan Ondrusek (1-0) was credited with the win for throwing a scoreless top of the ninth. Rickie Weeks hit a solo homer and knocked in two, while Carlos Gomez and Ryan Braun also added a solo shot for Milwaukee, which look to challenge for the Central Division crown under new skipper Ron Roenicke, who was hired in November as a replacement for the fired Ken Macha. Yovani Gallardo work six full innings, yielding a pair of runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Milwaukee opened the season with a bang as Weeks and Gomez clubbed back-to- back homers, as part of a three-run top of the first. Weeks led off the game, jumping on a 2-2 fastball and hammering it into the left-field seats and Gomez followed by hitting a slider into the second deck in left. It was the first time since 1969 that a team began the season with back-to-back home runs. It was a great start, obviously, Weeks said. To get two runs on the board like that is good for any ball club, so it was a great start. Casey McGehee chased in another run with a sac fly later in the inning. The Reds did get one back in the home half. Stubbs doubled leading off and later crossed the plate on Vottos deep sac fly to center. Weeks RBI double in the second made it a 4-1 game and Gallardo was able to workout of a bases loaded two-out jam in the third. Stubbs solo shot to right in the fourth got the Reds to within two, but Braun answered with a solo homer to center in the fifth to put the Brewers up 5-2. McGehee singled home Braun in the seventh to add to the visitors advantage, however, Vottos homer to right got the run back in the home half. Takashi Saito worked out of some trouble in the eighth to bridge the gap for Axford, who was unable to get the job done in the ninth. GAME NOTES:The Reds were 11-3 against the Brewers last season, going 7-1 against them in Cincinnati...The Reds improved to 65-69-1 in home openers...McGehee had two RBI in defeat. Packers Aaron Rodgers Green Jersey . Several members of the jury pool under selection in Washington federal court said they would weigh evidence from both sides before deciding on a verdict. The judge and Clemens lawyer had to repeatedly explain the legal principle of innocent until proven guilty and that prosecutors alone bear the burden of proving his guilt. Demetri Goodson Packers Jersey . Ranked 32nd in the world, Pospisil was due to play Frenchman Gael Monfils, but he withdrew with a wrist injury. Pospisil had the momentum going into the match against No. 52 Andujar, who got into the draw as a lucky loser, after making the semifinals last weekend in Basel.Great news for NCAA fans in Canada, as 16 of the 35 bowl games this season can be found on TSN, TSN2 or TSN1050 (and in some cases multiple platforms). All of the games arent created equal and with bowl season kicking off Saturday with the first four matchups, its time to rank them from best to "35th most exciting." 1. BCS National Championship - Florida State vs Auburn (January 6th, 8:30 on TSN and TSN1050)The easiest decision on the list sees #1 and #2 in the BCS fighting for the National Championship. The only remaining FCS undefeated team in the Seminoles takes on the biggest Cinderella story college football has seen in years in the Auburn Tigers. If watching the two best teams of the season battle for the crystal trophy isnt enough, tune in for a chance to watch Heisman trophy winner Jameis Winston cap off his freshman season. 2. Rose Bowl - Michigan State vs Stanford (January 1st, 5:00 on TSN2)The granddaddy of them all takes place on a loaded New Years Day and features two of the best defenses in the country. Stanford came out of the difficult Pac-12 while Michigan State ended Ohio States title hopes to win the BIG 10. If you love smash mouth football this is the game for you. 3. Valero Alamo Bowl - Texas vs Oregon (December 30th, 6:45 on TSN1050)This game shot up my list the minute Mack Brown announced it would be his last game on the sidelines for the Longhorns. After a storied career that included a national championship hell step down after this game. Texas has a chance to win one for their coach against a very talented Oregon team that may not be excited to be playing in the Alamo bowl after opening the season with national championship hopes. Still, this game has intriguing storylines and talent all over the field its a must-see game. 4. Orange Bowl - Ohio State vs Clemson (January 3rd, 8:30 on TSN2 and TSN1050)Ohio State had the inside track to the title game before losing to Michigan State in the BIG 10 Championship. Clemson had their championship hopes dashed earlier in the year when they fell, and fell hard against Florida State. Even though both teams had higher hopes, theyll both be out to win a very competitive BCS bowl game against a similar style team. Neither defense is very imposing this season, and both offences are incredible. Braxton Miller facing off with Tajh Boyd could be the best QB battle of the bowl season. 5. Chick-Fil-A Bowl - Texas A&M vs Duke (January 31st, 8:00)Johnny Manziel is expected to bolt to the NFL after this game, so its the last chance to see one of colleges most electric players put on a show. Its ironic that a player with red flags for off-field partying issues will ring in the New Year trying to hang points on what should be an over-matched Duke squad. The Blue Devils enjoyed their most successful football season ever, but did it in a weak ACC and were exposed against FSU in the conference title game. Theyll look to bounce back and prove they belong amongst college footballs semi-elite. 6. All-State Sugar Bowl - Alabama vs Oklahoma (January 2nd, 8:30 on TSN2 and TSN1050)Nick Saban signed an extension thatll pay him nearly $7 million a season to roam the sidelines in Tuscaloosa. He can start to earn some of that coin with a victory over Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide may have missed out on a chance on a third straight national championship but adding to their recent resume with a win in this game would still be a great coup. Its also the last chance to watch Heisman runner-up AJ Mccarron before he graduates and heads to the NFL. 7. Fiesta Bowl - Baylor vs UCF (January 1st, 8:30, TSN2 or TSN1050)Both of these teams over-achieved and find themselves in a BCS bowl for the first time. Interesting story line to follow for this one is Bears head coach Art Briles who has been linked to gigs with Texas and in the NFL with the Washington Redskins despite signing an extension this year. Its a last audition for him to show off his exciting and productive offence. QB Bryce Petty has decided to come back next year, but watching him and RB Lache Seastrunk alone makes this appointment viewing. 8. AT&T Cotton Bowl - Missouri vs Oklahoma State (January 3rd, 1:00)Missouri lost their chance at the title game when they took their second loss of the season in the SEC championship game. Oklahoma State missed their chance at a Big 12 crown when they lost their finale to Oklahoma. Despite both teams coming in after taking an "L" they both had incredible years and should match-up to provide some entertainment in a battle of programs trending in the right direction. 9. Capital One Bowl - South Carolina vs Wisconsin (January 1st, 1:00)Jadeveon Clowney has his last chance to impress NFL scouts on a football field before turning pro after what was a disappointing campaign. He is still a freak, and properly motivated could provide viewers with quite the show. On the other side will be a Wisconsin team that would like to be playing in a different New Years Day game but should still be very motivated to knock off a tough SEC opponent. RBs Melvin Gordon and James White both ran for over 1,000 yards and are among the best tandems in college football. Itll be interesting to see how those two avoid Clowney on the other side of the ball. 10. Russell Athletic Bowl - Louisville vs Miami (December 28th, 6:45)QB Teddy Bridgewater claims he hasnt made up his mind regarding leaving college for the pro game, but make no mistake hes leaving Louisville after this bowl game. Much like Clowney and a few others vying for the number one draft slot its his last on-field chance to make a statement. Miami could prove to be a worthy foe; they were a top-10 program before getting slammed by FSU. 11. Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl - Fresno State vs USC (December 21, 3:30)The best game of the opening day sees QB Derek Carr of Fresno State take on the Trojans who will be auditioning for new coach Steve Sarkisian. While USC wont have their new boss on the sidelines, its always added incentive for players when they know their new coach is taking notes. As for Carr, this is the 3rd straight game on the list that has a top-tier NFL draft prospect stating his case. Carrs brother David was a number-one selection, and while Derek may not go that high he does have the chance to be the first QB off the board. 12. Taxslayer.com Bowl - Georgia vs Nebraska (January 1st, Noon)There are a few SEC versus BIG 10 matchups this bowl season. Bo Pelini may be coaching for his job for the Cornhuskers, and hes also coaching to give some respect to the BIG 10. A win in this game would go a long way for the conference in their bid to shake the "down" label. One player to watch is RB Todd Gurley for Georgia, watch for him to pick up the slack with QB Aaron Murray out due to injury. 13. Outback Bowl - LSU vs Iowa (January 1st, 1:00 on TSN2)This game features an SEC team with an injured QB taking on a BIG 10 program fighting for respect. Its crazy how similar this game is to the Taxslayer.com bowl. Iowas defense has a chance to keep them in this one, and with QB Zach Mettenberger out, LSU may struggle to score points. This game has a chance to be a defensive battle, but that doesnt mean it wont be fun to watch. 14. Poinsetta Bowl - Northern Illinois vs Utah State (December 26th, 9:30 on TSN1050)Huskies QB Jordan Lynch was a Heisman nominee and one of the few players in the country you must watch. He plays in the MAC which doesnt receive much attention but his game is definitely worth enjoying. His combination of pass/rush is very unique and very successful. He is similar to Ohio State QB Braxton Miller, but plays for a team that relies on him much more. 15. Hawaii Bowl - Boise State vs Oregon State (December 24th, 8:00 on TSN2 and TSN1050)When youre done with dinner on Christmas Eve cozy up by the fire place and turn on the television to watch these two programs do battle. Much like USC, the Broncos will be out auditioning for a new head coach after Chris Petersen bolted to Washington. 16. Sun Bowl - UCLA vs Virginia Tech (December 31st, 2:00)UCLA QB Brett Hundley may head to the NFL after this one and he may go with a prominent agent. Hundleys father joked about a meeting with JAY-Z saying if they were going to meet he wanted Beyonce in the room. Sounds funny, but with a big performance in this one its all but a done deal Hundley moves on. For those who love coaching controversy UCLAs Jim Mora has beenn rumored as an option at Texas. Packers Julius Peppers Jersey. A big win here could keep his name in those discussions. 17. Pinstripe Bowl - Rutgers vs Notre Dame (December 28th, Noon)Sometimes the venue alone is reason to watch a game and thats the case with the Pinstripe Bowl which is held at Yankee Stadium. Notre Dame QB Tommy Rees will play his final game against an awful pass defense that ranked 120th in the country and Vegas expects a big performance - the Fighting Irish are currently more than two touchdown favorites. 18. Advocare V100 Bowl - Arizona vs Boston College (December 31st, 12:30)Kadeem Carey of Arizona and Andre Williams of Boston College are the two of the best backs in the country. Williams rushed for 2,102 yards which was tops in the FBS, while Carey took top spot back in 2012. The passing games may not be on display in this one, but the running attacks make it worth tuning in for. 19. Holiday Bowl - Arizona State vs Texas Tech (December 30th, 10:50 on TSN1050)Todd Graham won Pac-12 coach of the year and Red Raiders HC Kliff Kingsbury is one of the fastest rising bosses in the NCAA. Arizona State enters having won seven straight while Texas Tech has lost five in a row after starting with seven straight wins. Two top-20 offenses could light up the scoreboard and provide one of the most exciting bowl games on the schedule. 20. Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Michigan vs Kansas State (December 28, 10:15)This has been billed as a battle of two teams in a rebuilding year - but dont buy that story. Michigan wasnt rebuilding, they underachieved and suffered five losses under third year coach Brady Hoke. On the positive side, the Wolverines came within a two-point conversion of winning "The Game" against Ohio State. Its been Jeckyl and Hyde for Michigan this season and its anyones guess which team will show up for this one. Two bright spots are QB Devin Gardner and WR Jeremy Gallon. Kansas State looks for their first bowl win since 2002. 21. Fight Hunger Bowl - BYU vs Washington (December 27th, 9:30)Steve Sarkisian is out as Huskies coach after taking over the USC Trojans program but Washington arguably upgraded landing Chris Petersen. He wont be on the sidelines but hell have eyes on this tilt which sees two top-15 offences do battle at AT&T Park in San Francisco. QB Keith Price and RB Bishop Sankey of Washington are two key players to watch in this one. 22. Music City Bowl - Ole Miss vs Georgia Tech (December 30th, 3:15)Ole Miss has won their last five bowl games but enter this one on a two-game losing streak. They failed to score 10 points in both of those losses and may have a tough time putting up points against the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech will run the ball to eat clock using the triple-option before sending out the nations 21st ranked defence. QB Bo Wallace will need to have a strong performance for Ole Miss to make it six straight bowl wins. 23. BBVA Compass Bowl - Houston vs Vanderbilt (January 4th, 1:00, TSN2)HC James Franklin has Vandy trending in the right direction with 17 wins in the last two seasons. To put how big of an accomplishment that is into perspective, its the first time ever the program is heading to a bowl game for a third straight year. They won their final four games, while Houston lost three of four4 heading into bowl season. The Cougars will lean on their 16th ranked defense to keep this one close. 24. Belk Bowl - Cincinnati vs North Carolina (December 28th, 3:20)UNC let the fans pick their uniforms for this one, which is cool and gives me a reason to tune in. If youre looking for something a little deeper the atmosphere should be great with North Carolina playing only 140 miles from Chapel Hill. On the other side of the field theyll see a Bearcats team thats been here before; they won the Belk Bowl last season. 25. Little Caesars Pizza Bowl - Bowling Green vs Pittsburgh (December 26th, 6:00)Bowling Green won the MAC title upending Jordan Lynch and the Huskies in the title game at Ford Field, and now they find themselves back in Detroit. They average 14.8 points allowed per game which is fifth-best in the FBS. Pitt boasts Senior Aaron Donald who won defensive player of the year. 26. New Mexico Bowl - Washington State vs Colorado State (December 21st, 2:00 on TSN2 and TSN1050) Colorado State will go as far as RB Kapri Bibbs takes them. Hes a high end talent that scored 28 TDs this season. Cougars HC Mike Leach loves to pass the ball which is good and bad - fun to watch, but QB Connor Halliday threw 21 interceptions, which was worst in the FBS. This game should be full of big plays, points, and mistakes. 27. GoDaddy Bowl - Arkansas State vs Ball State (January 3rd, 9:00)You have to feel bad for juniors on Arkansas State - when they return for their fourth year next season theyll have a fourth head coach after Bryan Harsin accepted the Boise State gig. That said; its their third straight appearance in this bowl and got the bid after finishing as co-Sun Belt champs. Ball State QB Keith Wenning will top 4,000 yards passing in this one and had an impressive 34:6 TD/INT ratio. 28. Autozone Liberty Bowl - Rice vs Mississippi State (December 31st, 4:00)The Mississippi State Bulldogs won their final two games in overtime to get six wins and become bowl eligible. Six wins may not be overly impressive, but all six of the Bulldogs losses came against Top 25 ranked teams (Oklahoma State, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Alabama). Rice won 10 games and took home their first outright conference title since 1957. 29. Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Buffalo vs San Diego State (December 21st, 5:30 on TSN2 and TSN1050)Khalil Mack is the highlight of this bowl game. He racked up 94 tackles, 11 sacks, three interceptions and two TDs this season for Buffalo. Many NFL mock drafts have Mack in the top 10 and a big performance here could land him right there. There are lots of offensive players worth watching this bowl season, but very few defensive stars that are worth tuning in for - Mack is one. 30. Texas Bowl - Syracuse vs Minnesota (December 27th, 6:00)The Orangemen find themselves in back-to-back bowl games for the first time since Donovan McNabb - and all it took was a victory over Boston College in the final week of the season to do it. Minnesota returns to the Texas Bowl after losing last season. The Golden Gophers are looking to win nine games for just the second time in 108 years. 31. Beef OBrady St. Petersburgh Bowl - East Carolina vs Ohio (December 23rd, 2:00 on TSN2)ECU has a great QB/WR tandem in Shane Carden and Justin Hardy thats worth seeing before the year is complete. Carden was sixth in passing with 3,800 yards, while Hardy caught 105 passes; which was fifth best in the FBS. The Bobcats 29th ranked pass defense will need to step up if they have any chance of hanging with ECU. 32. Bell Helicopter Bowl - Middle Tennessee vs Navy (December 30, 11:45AM on TSN2)Navy runs the triple-option and was second best in the country with 322 yards per game on the ground. MTSU was 85th versus the run. This one could be a track meet, and who doesnt love long running plays and lots of scoring. 33. Military Bowl - Marshall vs Maryland (December 27th, 2:30 on TSN2)The Terps head to the Big 10 next season, and would love to take a bowl win with them. Theyll play this one in front of a home crowd with Navy Stadium only 27 miles from campus. Marshall is trying to win 10 games for the first time since 2002 - when QB Byron Leftwich was the star. This year its been another pivot leading the way in Rakeem Cato. His 36:9 TD/INT ratio was one of the best in all of college football. 34. R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl - Tulane vs Louisiana Lafayette (December 21, 9:00 on TSN2 and TSN1050)Despite being 34th on the list, if I could attend one bowl game this season it would be this one for the BBQ at the tailgate parties alone. The Green Wave vs the Rajin Cajuns is the battle of two of the coolest names in the NCAA. If youre looking for a player to watch, try Tulane QB Nick Montana - hes the son of Joe Montana. 35. Heart of Dallas Bowl - UNLV vs North Texas (January 1st, Noon)And the award for the "35th best" bowl game goes to the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Its in tough against the packed New Years Day schedule but its still a bowl game - and thats saying something. Follow The TSN College Football Show on twitter @TSNCollegeShow and tweet us your picks and comments throughout the entire bowl season. ' ' '
DENVER -- Denvers deep roster just keeps the Nuggets rolling. Charles Woodson Raiders Jersey . Kenneth Faried had 17 points and nine rebounds, Randy Foye and Evan Fournier scored 18 points apiece, and Denver had seven players score at least 13 points in a 120-94 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday night. Quincy Miller had 16 points and 11 rebounds -- both career highs -- and J.J. Hickson had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets, who have won five straight after losing eight in a row. "I think theyre handling it well right now," coach Brian Shaw said of the winning streak. "Theyre staying hungry and staying active. Our defence is off the charts. We dont seem to be getting too full of ourselves. " The Nuggets have scored at least 120 points three times in the five-game winning streak, and theyve done it despite attrition to their deep roster. First, Andre Miller was excused from the team after yelling at Shaw during a loss to Philadelphia on Jan. 1. Since then, forward Wilson Chandler (left groin strain) and Anthony Randolph (sprained left ankle) have gone down. The Nuggets have answered the adversity with a renewed focus. "What happened with Andre, everybody realized we have to get together to win games," Fournier said. Other players have stepped up, and Saturday it was Quincy Millers turn. The second-year pro looked comfortable in his second start, two nights after checking NBA leading scorer Kevin Durant. "That helped me a lot," Miller said. "KD is one of the best scorers ever and I held him to 30 after he scored 48." Miller has impressed Shaw with his defence more than his offence, and with his ability to respond to playing time. "Hes getting opportunities and hes making the most of it," Shaw said. "He is getting more and more confident the more time that he gets out there on the floor. This is great for him." Tobias Harris had 22 points and nine rebounds and Glen Davis scored 20 points for the Magic, who have dropped seven straight. The Magic have lost the first four games on their five-game Western Conference road trip. They havent scored 100 points in the last seven games, and things got tougher with the absence of leading scorer Arron Afflalo. Afflalo, who played four seasons in Denver before being dealt to Orlando in the summer of 2012, strained his right foot in Fridays loss to Sacramento. He entered Pepsi Center wearing a walking boot, depriving Orlando of much-needed offence. "Its real frustrating just because weve been losing," Harris said. "A lot of our guys are hurt right now. We have to stay together as a team. Stay positive." Without Afflalo, the Magic didnt have enough firepower to match the suddenly rolling Nuggets. It was apparent from the start. Denver jumped out to a 34-19 lead in the first quarter with a 14-2 run. Ty Lawson and Fournier hit consecutive 3-pointers to push the advantage to double digits. The Nuggets used a 10-2 run in the second quarter to go up 56-33. Orlando got within 15 twice, but Foye made it 69-47 at halftime. Davis hit two early buckets in the third quarter to get the Magic within 16, but Foyes 3-pointer made it 81-60 and Hicksons hook shot gave the Nuggets an 86-60 lead with 4:20 to go in the period. "It was a challenge the entire night," Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn said. "Their ability to get downhill and get in transition provided problems for us." Bad went to worse when guard Jameer Nelson left the game in the second half with a hand injury and didnt return. "Well mend our bodies tomorrow and be ready for Dallas," Vaughn said. Denver led 92-66 heading into the fourth. With most of the starters on the bench for fourth, Denver led by as many as 36 points in the quarter. NOTES: Chandler missed his second straight game. ... Vaughn said there is no timetable for Afflalos return. ... Nuggets F Darrell Arthur left the game in the third quarter with a left groin strain and didnt return. Jim Otto Womens Jersey . You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN Mobile TV at 9:30pm et/6:30pm pt. Edmonton will close out a four-game homestand this evening and is in the midst of playing seven of its first nine games on home ice. Kenny Stabler Womens Jersey . Louis Blues offence got a shot in the arm Saturday by locking down one of the organizations top prospects. TORONTO -- If Jesse Litschs arm was feeling tired after pitching his third game in four days, he wouldnt say. After walking two batters and giving up the decisive three-run homer in the seventh inning to Tampa Bays B.J. Upton, Litsch said it was a misplaced fastball rather than a fatigued right arm that led to the Toronto Blue Jays third straight loss. Toronto fell 6-5 to the Rays on Saturday after the Jays reliever walked Sam Fuld and Evan Longoria then hung a fastball over the plate that Upton batted in for his 18th home run of the season. "You know, fatigue, you are usually up in the zone, but I was down in the zone," said Litsch. "I was missing low. Thats a sign of, Im strong, Im just over top of the ball too much. I left the one ball up that Upton hit. You know, it just cut right back over the middle of the plate. It was a heater and I pulled it." Litsch could be forgiven for being tired. He was used two days in a row against Kansas City, then given a day off Friday before returning to the mound. After he walked Longoria, Litsch struck out Ben Zobrist and gave Jays bench coach Don Wakamatsu hope the pitcher could make it out of the inning unscathed. Wakamatsu, who filled in for manager John Farrell for the second straight game as Farrell recovers from pneumonia, blamed Litschs error on the teams over reliance of the red-bearded reliever this week. "Last three out of four days and its been an inconsistent, up and down year, and all of a sudden now hes having to fill some spots because we havent gone seven, eight innings as a starter," he said. The home run was vindication for Upton, who thought he had a home run in the sixth inning when his hit was lost in the air near the left-field foul pole. "The foul pole is so light that you cant really tell," Upton said. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon came out to argue it was a homer, and the umpires went to an instant-replay review before ruling the hit stood as a foul. "I wasnt sure," Upton said. "It looked fair from where I was, although it hooked very hard late. I dont think it hurt to check it out." Upton only had to wait for his next at-bat to get a home run, which put the Rays (72-59) ahead for good at 6-2. "I congratulated him on keeping that ball fair," quipped Maddon. Eric Thames and Edwin Encarnacion each added solo homers in the eighth inning to rally the Jays to within one run in front of a crowd of 24,052 at Rogers Centre, but Tampa Bay closer Joel Peralta shut down the Jays in the ninth for his second save of the season. Tampa Bay starter Jeff Niemann (9-5) earned the win after allowing three runs on five hits with six strikeouts through 6 1-3 innings. Luis Perez, pitching in his second major-league start for Toronto (66-66) since being moved from the bullpen, was steady on the mound despiite needing several visits from catcher J. Sebastian Janikowski Jersey. P. Arencibia, who put on a defensive show by throwing out three Tampa Bay base stealers. After loading the bases in the fifth inning, the 26-year-old lefty struck out Zobrist to strand the Rays runners. That ended the day for Perez, who gave up two runs on five hits with four strikeouts. He was replaced by Shawn Camp (1-3) in the sixth with the score tied 2-2. Wakamatsu said he thought Perez kept his composure even though he fell behind in pitch counts. "I think with Perez, his tempo was a little bit slower, he was a little bit excited going into the ball game and I think (Arencibia) did a nice job of calming him down and getting through it even though he went five innings. I thought he battled through it," said Wakamatsu. Camp did little to impress when he first gave up Uptons disputed foul ball then hit Upton on the next pitch. After a pretty defensive play by Toronto to catch runners at third and first base, the Rays took a 3-2 lead on second baseman Elliot Johnsons RBI single. Jose Bautista opened the scoring for Toronto in the first with a double to drive in a speedy Thames from first base. But the Rays broke through against Perez in the fourth when Sean Rodriguez hit a ground-rule double just inside the left-field line to score Longoria and Zobrist to give Tampa a 2-1 lead. The Jays evened the game after a costly mistake by Johnson. After Torontos Kelly Johnson grounded out to first, Tampa Bay attempted to catch Encarnacion sliding into second. Elliot Johnson made the tag but dropped the ball, leaving Encarnacion safe and Elliot Johnson debating the call with second-base umpire Marty Foster. The dropped ball turned into a run later in the inning when a ground-rule double by Arencibia scored Encarnacion to tie the score 2-2. Notes: A moment of silence was held before the game for late NDP leader Jack Layton, whose funeral was being held a few blocks away at Roy Thomson Hall. ... Farrell remains day-to-day. "We want to be safe with it right now and let him catch up on some rest and get better," said Wakamatsu. ... Bautista declined to comment on his ejection from Friday nights 6-1 loss to the Rays. He was tossed after yelling at umpire Bill Welke following his third strikeout in the sixth inning. "Hes an emotional player," said Wakamatsu, who was sitting near a large dent in the dugout wall where Bautista had swung his bat in frustration. ... Newly acquired Dewayne Wise, who arrived at 2 a.m. ET before the game, replaced centre-fielder Colby Rasmus, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sore wrist. Wise went hitless with one strikeout in four at-bats. ... Brandon Morrow (9-8, 4.65 earned-run average) gets the start for Toronto on Sunday. Tampa Bay counters with ace David Price (11-11, 3.53 ERA). ' ' '
LOS ANGELES -- Damian Lillard scored 12 of his 16 points in the third quarter to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 94-84 exhibition victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. Eric Berry Authentic Jersey . Lillard scored nine consecutive points in the period as the Blazers pulled away after trailing by a point at halftime. Nicolas Batum scored 14 points and Robin Lopez added nine points and 10 rebounds as Portland built a 17-point lead with less than 10 minutes left in the game. The Los Angeles bench, led by Darren Collison, cut the deficit to four points, but Portland finished the game on a 10-2 run. Collison led all scorers with 31 points and added six assists. Blake Griffin was the only other Clippers player to score in double digits, finishing with 18 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes. Chris Paul added seven points and four assists in 30 minutes. Alex Smith Autographed Jersey . Goodrow forced extra time with the tying goal in the third period, then scored the lone goal in the shootout as North Bay beat the Kingston Frontenacs 3-2 in Ontario Hockey League action Thursday. Dee Ford Womens Jersey . -- Billy Donovan cautioned his Florida Gators before the game not to assume Casey Prather would instantly return to form after a two-game layoff.CALGARY -- Calgary Flames forward Matt Stajan has taken a personal leave from the team following the death of his newborn son. The Flames said in a release that Emmerson Stajan died on Monday following childbirth. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Katie and Matt at this difficult time," the Flames said in a statement. &qquot;We appreciate that everyone has and will continue to respect their privacy during this period. Derrick Thomas Womens Jersey. ." Stajan signed a four-year extension with the Flames earlier this year. He has 10 goals and 13 assists in 52 games this season. The Flames said a private memorial service will be held in the coming days. ' ' '
MEMPHIS, Tenn. Dee Ford Grey Jersey . -- After sleep-walking through the first half, the Grizzlies managed to wake up in time to claim their fifth straight victory at home. Zach Randolph had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Memphis used a big second half to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-96 Saturday night. "Coach just stated the obvious -- that we cant let a team come in here and dominate us on both ends of the court," Memphis guard Mike Conley said of Dave Joergers halftime speech. "We just went out there and tried to be aggressive defensively." Randolph had 17 points in the second half to help Memphis outscore Cleveland 56-31 and rally from an early 15-point deficit. Conley and Marc Gasol scored 22 each for the Grizzlies. Conley added seven assists and Gasol had six. Courtney Lee finished with 19 points, including a career-high five 3-pointers, and Tony Allen had 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting. "Sometimes its just him getting himself going," Gasol said of Randolph in the second half. "Hes so hard to stop that no matter what they try to do its just Zach being Zach." Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers with 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while Tristan Thompson was 8 of 10 for 18 points. Spencer Hawes had 13 points and Luol Deng 11. "Guys are going to make runs," Irving said. "They made their run. They had a hit-first mentality going into that second half." Memphis took control with its big third quarter and led by 91-83 with 8:56 left in the fourth. The Cavaliers used six straight points from Irving to pull within 95-94 with 4:03 left. But a baseline 8-footer by Randolph and a 3-pointer from Conley restored Memphis cushion. By the time Gasol scored on a hook shot with 1:13 left the Grizzlies lead was in double digits. "It was effort, energy and focus," Joerger said of the second-half effort that held the Cavaliers to 34 per cent shooting. ".We were making one, two or three efforts. The energy picked up, and we made multiple efforts. They didnt have a lot of second chances." The Cavaliers dominated the first half, leading by as many as 15 points and taking a 65-54 lead into the break. The Grizzlies provided little resistance and Cleveland shot just under 70 per cent for much of the half before going to the locker room at 61 per cent. "In the first half we were the ones who were more physical," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "We were the ones hitting first." The energy and intensity increased for Memphis to open the second half and that translated into a 21-8 run to overtake Cleveland just past the midway point of the third. At that point, Cleveland had committed five turnovers in the quarter. Memphis would stretch the run to 26-8, including 17 straight points, for an 80-73 lead that became an 87-80 advantage entering the final frame. "There were positives from it," Irving said. "We fought hard to the end with the exception of the last 3 minutes. We can live with the effort." NOTES: Irving has scored at least 20 points in 17 of last 23 games. ... The Cavaliers 65 points in the first half were the most scored by a Memphis opponent in a half this season. The previous high was 62 in the second half by Dallas on Nov. 2. ... Gasol hit a shot at the end of the first quarter from beyond half court and banked it in. It was shown on the score sheet as 60 feet. It was his first 3-pointer of the season. ... The Cavaliers last won in Memphis on Jan. 13, 2009. ... The game was the nightcap of a doubleheader at the FedExForum. Earlier in the day, No. 21 Memphis defeated seventh-ranked Louisville 72-66. Justin Houston Authentic Jersey . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. Dee Ford Chiefs Jersey .C. Lions even though incumbent Rob Maver is ready to kick again. Maver, the CFLs scoring leader last year with 185 points, comes off the nine-game injured list this week.NEW YORK -- Forward Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning was named the NHLs first star of the week Monday. Goaltenders Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings and Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks are the second and third stars, respectively. St. Louis had five goals and eight points in four games. He scored four goals in a 5-4 loss to San Jose on Saturday night, the second in club history to do so after Chris Kontos achieved the feat in 1992. Alex Smith Black Jersey. Quick was the second star after posting a 2-0-1 record, 0.97 goals-against average and .967 save percentage with one shutout. The 27-year-old American has a 14-6-2 record, 2.05 GAA and .918 save percentage this season. Crawford also had a 2-0-1 record last week with a 2.22 goals-against average and .916 save percentage. In 34 appearances this season, the 29-year-old Montreal native has a 19-7-7 record, 2.44 GAA and .912 save percentage. ' ' '
WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Jets agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract with goaltender Eric Comrie on Tuesday. Darren McFadden Jersey . The two-way deal has an average annual value of US$925,000, the NHL team said in a release. Comrie has played in 30 games with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League this season. He has a 14-13-3 record, 2.52 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. In 98 career WHL games with the Americans, the 18-year-old native of Newport Beach, Calif., has a 53-33-8 record. Comrie was selected by the Jets in the second round (No. 59 overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Nick Roach Womens Jersey . – Mats Sundin was the captain. Ted Hendricks Raiders Jersey . I feel bad for him right now. Its all slipping away for him and he knows it.ST. LOUIS -- Blues coach Ken Hitchcock switched Patrick Berglunds position with hopes of getting the forward going. After the way the move paid off, Hitchcock might want to make the change permanent. Berglund scored twice after moving from centre to left wing at the start of the second period, and Vladimir Sobotka and Alex Pietrangelo each had a goal and an assist as the St. Louis Blues beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2 Saturday night for their fifth straight win. The two goals pushed Berglunds total to six, after a slow first half. "I dont think I can think about it too much," Berglund said. "Obviously, its been slow, but if I start thinking about it, changing the way I played, that would change the way I prepared, too. Ive just been working even harder in practice, shooting more pucks and trying to get it going that way." Hitchock switched Berglund from centre to left wing for just the second time since taking over the Blues early in the 2011-12 season. Columbus, which led 2-0 lead after the first period, has lost three of four after winning three in a row. Three of the Blues past five wins were at home, where they have won four straight. Despite injuries to key players such as David Backes and Alexander Steen, Hitchcock said his team is playing its best this season. "I think weve played some really good hockey in the last four games at home. I think thats what were happiest about," he said. "Weve got a way of playing now. I think what weve done here at home is weve developed a balance between offence and defence." St. Louis, off to its best start midway through a season with 63 points, has scored at least five goals in five of its past eight games. Maxim Lapierre gave St. Louis its first lead at 3-2 with his fifth goal just 94 seconds after Sobotkas sixth goal tied it at 17:29 of the second period. St. Louis got on the board about seven minutes into the second period when Barret Jackmans shot from the right side glanced off Berglund. The puck hit the far post and trickled past Curtis McEhlinney. His second goal came 17 seconds into the third when he deflected a pass into the goal. "Today, I had pretty much two lucky bounces but good things happen when you go to the net," he said. Gabe Jackson Jersey. Jaden Schwartz added his 15th goal about midway through the third to make it 5-2. Hes scored in seven of his last eight games. Pietrangelo finished the scoring with about six minutes remaining. "We played a 20-minute game, tonight," Columbus coach Todd Richards said. "They made a push and got their game to another level and we were unwilling to do that. They played a real simple game. We stopped skating. Our compete level wasnt nearly good enough. Body language wasnt good coming off the ice. "Eventually there has to be a response. I didnt like the way we reacted to it," he added. St. Louis goalie Brian Elliott has won 13 consecutive home games, extending a franchise record he set with a 5-0 shutout against Los Angeles on Thursday. McElhinney stopped 31 shots. Elliott faced 23, making 21 saves. Mark Letestu gave the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead midway through the first. His shot from outside the left circle hit a Blues defender and popped over Elliott for his second goal of the season. The Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead four minutes into the game. Artem Anisimov, standing alone in the middle of the zone with his back to Elliott, took a pass from Brandon Dubinsky. He whipped around and slapped a shot past Elliott, who didnt move as if he didnt see the shot. It was the 12th goal of the year for Anisimov. "We got off to kind of a rocky start in the first," Berglund said. "But, really, the whole team really grabbed it in the second and third." NOTES: St. Louis D Jordan Leopold saw his first action since being activated from injured reserve. He was out since November with a torn ligament in his right hand. ... Blues G Joroslav Halak missed his fourth consecutive game with flu-like symptoms. He got pulled after a period Dec. 28 against Chicago before sitting the next four, all St. Louis wins. Hes expected to make the start of a three-game trip starting Tuesday at Edmonton. ... St. Louis RW David Backes returned after missing three games with an upper-body injury and had two assists. ' ' '
TORONTO -- Zach Collaros wont have to wait until the start of CFL free agency to find out how much hell be worth on the open market. Tim Krul Netherland Jersey . The Toronto Argonauts released the backup quarterback Wednesday, more than two weeks before Collaros was scheduled to become a free agent. Instead of having to wait until Feb. 15 to begin weighing outside offers, Collaros is free to start testing the waters immediately and sign with the team of his choice. The move wasnt a total surprise. Last week, Argos GM Jim Barker suggested Collaros would test CFL free agency rather than re-sign with Toronto prior to the deadline. Barker said he tried re-signing Collaros and remains very interested in having Collaros back with the club. But by releasing him now Barker hopes to gain clarity on Collaros situation by Feb. 15 rather than having to deal with that uncertainty once free agency begins. "Whats difficult is when you have a player who isnt sure how much he might be able to get on the open market," Barker said. "Thats more difficult than dealing with having other teams talk to him. "This has nothing to do with our relationship with Zach, we have a great relationship. He can now go and do the things he has to do to see where things are at and it will give us a little more clarity." Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal -- Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division -- but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. The second-year player was especially sharp in a 38-21 win over B.C. on July 30, finishing 21-of-25 passing for 253 yards and three TDs. On Sept. 21, he completed 25-of-36 attempts for 330 yards and four touchdowns in a 33-27 victory over Calgary. The six-foot-two, 216-pound Collaros finished the season completing 190-of-287 passes (66.2 per cent) for 2,316 yards with 14 TDs and six interceptions. He also ran 59 times for 246 yards and five touchdowns and will attract attention on the open market. One team in need of a starting quarterback is Winnipeg, which had three different starters en route to posting a league-worst 3-15 record. This off-season, the Blue Bombers also hired former Argos special-teams co-ordinator Mike OShea as their new head coach. The expansion Ottawa Redblacks, who begin play this season, will also look at Collaros but the expectation is GM Marcel Desjardins will do that with most available free agents. The franchise selected Calgarys Kevin Glenn and B.C.s Thomas DeMarco in last months CFL expansion draft and also has Matt Faulkner, who played collegiately at San Jose State, on the roster. Collaros availability could also make things interesting in Hamilton. Veteran Henry Burris guided the Tiger-Cats to a Grey Cup appearance last November but the 38-year-old is slated to become a free agent next month. If Burris doesnt return to Hamilton, that would leave the defending East Division champion with youngsters Dan LeFevour and Jeremiah Massoli along with former NFLers Brian Brohm and Stephen McGee under contract. Both the Bombers and Ti-Cats have been in contact with Collaross agent on Wednesday. Barker was also clear he still wants to re-sign Collaros. "Weve been trying to sign him and obviously he wants to go to free agency, which is totally his right," Barker said. "Were not going to pull out." If Collaros moves on, Barker feels Toronto will remain strong at quarterback in 2014. The Argos carried five passers last season -- Ray, Collaros, sophomore Trevor Harris and newcomers Josh Portis and Mitchell Gale. All but Portis saw playing time in 2013. "People forget Zach got the start (when Ray was hurt) but it was neck-and-neck with him and Trevor," Barker said. "Zach made the most of it and kudos to him for doing that. "Trevor Harris has been with us now for a couple of years, hes got a tremendous upside and both Mitchell Gale and Josh Portis have a year in the system, they understand the reads, they understand what it takes to be a quarterback in this offence. I think theres going to be great competition to be our No. 2 and No. 3 should Zach choose to go somewhere else." With files from TSN.ca http://www.worldsocceronlineshop.com/Fc-Bayern-Munich-Tom-Starke-Jersey.html . Instead, the offence has been the biggest turnaround for Minnesota. Joe Mauer hit his first home run of the season, Brian Dozier connected for his fourth and Nolasco earned his initial win with the Twins in a 7-1 victory Saturday over the Kansas City Royals. http://www.worldsocceronlineshop.com/Manchester-United-Fc-Darren-Fletcher-Jersey.html . In this weeks “Leaf Report” podcast, Jonas Siegel and James Mirtle break down some of the key factors in the teams turnaround including Nazem Kadri stepping up to quiet rumours of him being dealt and an increase in the offensive production from Torontos blueline. LAS VEGAS -- Frustrated in his big fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Canelo Alvarez found a much easier target in Alfredo Angulo. Alvarez battered a game but outclassed Angulo on Saturday night before stopping him with an uppercut that prompted referee Tony Weeks to move in at 47 seconds of the 10th round of their junior middleweight fight. Alvarez (43-1-1) never was able to put down Angulo (22-4), but hit him throughout the fight with hard combinations that almost always found their mark. By the middle rounds, the only suspense left was whether Angulo could go the distance. The fight was in marked contrast to the last bout for Alvarez, who was dominated by Mayweather in the richest bout ever. But while Mayweather was the master of defence, Angulo was there to be hit all night long -- and Alvarez did just that. "Tonight, I was the best fighter and definitely rebounded from the Mayweather fight with my performance," Alvarez said. Angulo, who was never close to going down, protested when Weeks moved in to stop the fight after a big left uppercut to the head. Before the 10th round began, Angulos corner had pleaded with the ring doctor to give their fighter one more round to try and turn things around. "Im upset because they should have let the fight go on," Angulo said. "Im fine and I was fighting." Angulo never stopped going forward, but he paid a price, taking shot after shot to the head as Alvarez teed off seemingly at will. Alvarez won all but one of the first nine rounds on two ringside scorecards, and two on the third. The Associated Press had him winning eight of the first nine rounds. Ringside punching stats were just as lopsided, with Alvarez landing 295 punches to 104 for Angulo. The ending was booed by many in the crowd that filled the MGM Grand arena for the junior middleweight showdown between the two Mexican fighters. There was no title at stake, but the 23-year-old Alvarez seemed determined to win big to erase memories of the loss to Mayweather, the only one of his career. He landed the first left hook he threw seconds into the fight and it wwas quickly apparent that Angulo would have no answer for his speed and power. Giorgio Chiellini Juventus Jersey. "He wanted to please the fans because he felt in the Mayweather fight he let a lot of people down," promoter Richard Schaefer said. "Canelo was not satisfied with just the win. He came to make a statement and you saw that." Alvarez was already a big star when he met Mayweather in September, but the red-haired fan favourite was frustrated by Mayweathers defence and lost almost every round. He said before this fight that he learned a lot against Mayweather, and vowed to show it in his comeback fight. The only time Angulo even seemed to be in the fight was in the eighth round when he landed some good punches to the head and kept advancing. But Alvarez came back to dominate the ninth round, prompting the ring doctor to look at Angulo between rounds to see whether he could continue. "I was so secure in my jab and my stamina was there," Alvarez said. "Of course I was a little tired, its boxing. But I was ready to finish the fight and even go 10 more rounds." Alvarez was guaranteed $1.15 million to $850,000 for Angulo. The purses were adjusted when Alvarez agreed to pay $100,000 to Angulo on Friday to raise the weight limit to 155 pounds from 154 because he couldnt make the original weight. Before the main event, Alvarez watched from his dressing room as his brother, Ricardo Alvarez, was knocked down twice on the way to a decision loss to Sergio Thompson in a 135-pound fight. Thompson was the harder hitting fighter from the opening bell, winning easily on one scorecard and narrowly on the other two in taking the 10-round decision. In another undercard fight, Leo Santa Cruz remained unbeaten in defending his 122-pound title with a lopsided decision win over Cristian Mijares of Mexico. Santa Cruz, who lives in Los Angeles, shook off a cut near his right eye from a head butt in the fourth round to win every round on two ringside scorecards and all but one round on the third in improving to 27-0-1. Mijares, a former 115-pound champion, fell to 48-8-2. ' ' '
GOLD COAST, Australia -- Eight-time winner and defending champion Karrie Webb was disqualified from the Australian Ladies Masters on Friday for signing an incorrect scorecard after the second round. http://www.nflchiefsus.com/Womens-Zach-Fulton-Authentic-Jersey/ . American Cheyenne Woods, niece of Tiger Woods, and South African Stacey Lee Bregman both followed first round 69s with six-under second rounds of 67 to lead the European and Australian tour event by a shot at 10-under 136. Webb signed for a second-straight 1-over 74 which would have made the cut. She quickly notified officials she had made an error, signing for par on the 12th when she had made bogey. Ladies European Tour tournament director Fraser Munro said "it was quite clear she signed for an incorrect scorecard. She was obviously disappointed." "She needs to verify all her 18 hole scores," Munro said. "Thats her duty. Shes not properly checked her scorecard and left the recording area." Woods, bidding for her first professional victory, had an eagle, a bogey and five birdies in her second round 67 at the par-73, 6,034 metres (6,577 yards) Royal Pines Resort. After a three-putt bogey on her ninth hole Woods, who started at the 10th, sank a 7-iron from the fairway for eagle at the par-4 first. Bregman had six birdies on an unblemished scorecard to share the lead by a shot from Englands Trish Johnson with Swedens Camilla Lennarth, formerly of the University of Alabama, a further shot behind. "It was a great day today," Woods said. "I played pretty steady throughout the entire round. "My putter was working really well for me and I was hitting the ball well so, like I said, it was just a steady day. "The highlight was definitely my No. 10, holing from the fairway." Bregman played almost her entire round without an 8-iron after breaking the club against a tree on the first hole. "I had quite a few shots which needed an 8-iron but I just had to improvise," she said. "I just had to grip down on a 7-iron or hit a hard 9-iron." Alex Smith Authentic Jersey . Inglis also had an assist while Brett Connolly, Taylor Stefishen, James Dobrowolski, Troy Bourke and Taylor Makin each had a goal and a helper for the visitors. Justin Houston Grey Jersey . For one day, Indiana can wait. Having Thursday off from practice is Miamis first playoff prize, and although a five-game win over the Knicks might have seemed easy, the reigning Eastern Conference champions insisted afterward that it was more grinding than it appeared.PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - Zach Pochiro scored in regulation and again in the shootout as the Prince George Cougars edged the Prince Albert Raiders 6-5 in the lone Western Hockey League game Monday. Pochiro forced extra time with the tying goal at 19:44 in the third period before scoring the only goal of the shootout. Todd Fiddler had a pair of goals for the CCougars (19-26-7), with Marc McNulty and Troy Bourke adding singles. Derrick Thomas Grey Jersey. Josh Morrissey, Dakota Conroy, Jayden Hart, Chance Braid and Darcy Zaharichuk had a goal apiece for the Raiders (23-23-3). Prince George goaltender Ty Edmonds turned aside 30 shots, while at the other end of the ice Nick McBride did what he could with 42 saves. ' ' '
OTTAWA -- Rick Campbell always aspired to be a CFL head coach but only in the right situation. Jim Leonhard Bills Jersey . The ability to help build an expansion team from the ground up proved to be the right opportunity for the 42-year-old, who was hired Friday as the first head coach of the expansion Ottawa Redblacks. The Redblacks are scheduled to begin play next season. Campbell has spent 15 years coaching in the CFL but this will be his first as a head coach. "Ive wanted to be a head coach, but I didnt just want to do it to say I was a head coach," said Campbell. "It had to be a deal where I fit the team and the team fit me so it was a good situation and like I said I had a gut instinct about Ottawa." This will mark Ottawas third tenure in the CFL. The Rough Riders operated from 1876 to 96 and were a founding member of the CFL in 58. The Renegades were born in 02 but only operated through the 06 season before being suspended indefinitely by the league. Having the opportunity to be part of the Redblacks inaugural season was one of the more interesting aspects of the job for Campbell. "I think its incredibly unique that you get to build a football team from scratch," Campbell said. "Its very unique in football and in sports that you get to start something from scratch and build it the way you want to build it and that definitely was enticing to me, for sure." Not to say it wont be challenging. "Were going to have to get ourselves competitive fast," Campbell said. "Were behind all the other teams in that they have a lot of good football players and they have a lot of things in place. "Were going to have to hire an experienced enough coaching staff that knows the league so we can literally hit the ground running." Campbell has high hopes to field a competitive team in the Redblacks first season. "Im going to look at as were another team in the league right now," he said. "Were going to be signing players and coaches and were going to try to win as many games as we can. "You go into a year to try and win the big one. Were not going to get ahead of ourselves but were going to go and build it the best way we can and win as many games as we can, thats for sure." Campbell has spent the last two years as Calgarys defensive co-ordinator. This season the Stampeders led the league in sacks, with 63. The bulk of Campbells CFL coaching career was spent with the Edmonton Eskimos. Over the span of 11 seasons with the Eskimos, Campbell served as an assistant head coach, special-teams co-ordinator, secondary coach and defensive co-ordinator. He won Grey Cups with the Edmonton in 2003 and 2005. Redblacks general manager Marcel Desjardins said he interviewed six or seven candidates but Campbell stood out amongst the contenders. "The key thing was the fact he had coached special teams, he had coached defence as a co-ordinator and coached on offence as well,: Desjardins said. "Theres not too many people out there who have coached on all sides of the ball." While there remains much work to be done, Desjardins said theres a sense of relief in having a head coach in place. "Its a better relief knowing who it is," said Desjardins. "Im so comfortable with this choice on so many levels. "Personality wise our thought processes are the same. Just detailed, organized and then a big part of the equation too is who hes going to propose to us as a staff." While theres no timetable in place for the hiring of support staff, both Desjardins and Campbell say the process has begun already. Campbell wont have far to look for guidance, though. His father, Hugh Campbell, is a legend in Canadian football, leading the Edmonton Eskimos to five consecutive Grey Cup championships (1978-82) as head coach and four more as general manager. Hugh Campbell also was a receiver with the Saskatchewan Roughriders when they won their first CFL title in 66, upsetting the favoured Ottawa Rough Riders 29-14 in Vancouver. "I would always ask for advice from him if its there," Rick Campbell said. "We have a good relationship that he doesnt force things on me. "Hes my dad, Im his son and thats our relationship first and well talk ball once in a while." Campbell will have little time to settle into the position, as the CFL expansion draft will be held Dec. 16. Ottawa will select 24 players (eight imports, 16 Canadians) over three rounds. The Redblacks will take eight imports in the first round before selecting eight Canadians in each of the final two. Desjardins says Campbell will have input into player selection but in the end it will be all about picking the best available players. Cyrus Kouandjio Bills Jersey .500 at home and .500 overall (16-16-5). The win also snapped Floridas winning streak at five games. Jets are 10-4-1 vs. Alan Branch Bills Jersey . - Defenceman Nathan Beaulieu and forwards Jonathan Huberdeau, Phillip Danault and Zack Phillips headline the Quebec Major Junior Hockey Leagues roster for the upcoming Subway Super Series versus Russia. LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Clippers had every reason to quit down 17 points with 4 1/2 minutes to go. They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. But in their huddle, Doc Rivers and the other coaches told the players to keep believing. They did, and pulled out a wild 129-127 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. J.J. Redick scored a career-high 33 points, Matt Barnes added 25, Blake Griffin had 23 and Jamal Crawford scored 16, including a pair of free throws that gave the Clippers the lead with 11 seconds to go. They improved to 18-3 at home with their fourth straight win. "We locked in," Griffin said. "We made the plays down the stretch, they tightened up and got a little too comfortable." Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and Samuel Dalembert added a season-high 20 for the Mavs, whose three-game winning streak ended when they couldnt hold a 123-106 lead. Jose Calderon hit four 3-pointers on his way to 16 points. "Theres no way we should lose this game," Nowitzki said. "Weve got to do a better job of protecting a lead. We made some bad decisions and gave up some 3s." Redicks seventh 3-pointer with 34 seconds to go had the Clippers trailing 127-126. Nowitzkis step-back jumper hit the rim. "We had J.J. guarding Dirk on one play and it worked," Rivers said. "I cant explain that game." After Crawfords two free throws put the Clippers ahead 128-127, Calderon missed a 3-pointer with 3 seconds to go, and DeAndre Jordan got fouled. After his first free throw hit the right side of the backboard, he made the second for a 129-127 lead. DeJuan Blair inbounded the ball but his pass was intercepted by Jordan to end the heated and stunning finish. "It was like a playoff game the last three or four minutes. Everybody was mouthing back and forth and getting techs, and it became a brawl out there," Shawn Marion said. "But if you let that take away from what your main focus is -- executing at both ends of the floor -- then its going to take you out of your game." Griffin uttered expletives at Dalembert after they scrapped for a rebound near the baseline late in the game. One of the referees put both his arms around Griffins waist and backed him away. Nowitzki was waiting with an earful as Griffin ended up near him. "I was more upset about some of the things that were said than the situation," Griffin said. Dalembert was called for a technical. Griffin madde the free throw and the Clippers retained possession. Thurman Thomas Jersey. Crawford drove the basket and scored to pull them to 125-118. "It was a difficult and a physical game," Dalembert said. "Some calls were suspicious, and it was just one of those games. So many things happened in those seven minutes. We have to keep some of their guys under control." Redick said Dalembert stepped on his head and he ended up with a cut in his ear. "Any time a 270-pound man steps on your head it takes a little while to get it back," he said. Down 127-118, Barnes hit a 3-pointer and Nowitzki fouled Crawford on a 3-point attempt. Crawford made two of three free throws, pulling the Clippers to 127-123 with 1:10 to play. Crawford struggled for most of the game, and in the final 6 minutes the coaches were debating whether to take him out. "He was off-balance, he was going too fast and turning the ball over, yet you keep him in because he has ability to score," Rivers said. "He can miss 20 in a row. He just needs to make one and he thinks hes hot." Crawford credited Rivers patience with him this season for making a difference. "Hopefully I make him look good in the end for still believing in me," he said. Earlier in the fourth, Vince Carter was hit with a technical, one of four in the game for the Mavs. Griffin picked up one in the third. The Mavs outscored the Clippers 60-40 in the paint, and outrebounded them 47-38, with both teams shooting at least 50 per cent. "Thats awful on our part," Rivers said. Dallas opened the fourth with consecutive 3-pointers by Monta Ellis and Calderon. They keyed a 25-6 run that gave the Mavs a 123-106 lead. The Mavs borrowed a page from the Clippers high-flying playbook, with Brandan Wright dunking off Carters alley-oop pass against the Clippers hapless defence. Notes: Rivers said the team anticipates signing free agent F Hedo Turkoglu. Rivers expects Turkoglu to join the team for the start of its seven-day, 11-city trip that begins Friday in New York. Turkoglu was cut by Orlando earlier this month. He played just 11 games last season because of injuries and a 20-game suspension for use of performance-enhancing drugs. ... Clippers F Reggie Bullock returned after hurting his left ankle on Dec. 7 at Cleveland. ... Mavs G Devin Harris, who had left foot surgery, isnt expected to play this trip. ... The Clippers Grammy trip comes a month earlier than usual since the music awards held at Staples Center were moved up to avoid conflicting with the Olympics. ' ' '
