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. In Sundays Blackhawks-Penguins game, Pittsburgh defenceman Brooks Orpik laid a huge hit on Chicagos Jonathan Toews. Now in my view, Orpik can be clearly seen leaving his feet while delivering a moderately high hit. Why wasnt there supplemental discipline, and should there have even been a penalty? I thought anytime you leapt or left your feet, a penalty is called! Am I missing something? Stu Alderson Stu: You and I are not the only ones missing something here as players continually elevate their posture and leave their feet at impact to deliver devastating hits. Dangerous and significant contact to the head of their opponent almost always results whenever a player leaves his feet to make a big hit. In the here and now, these hits are deemed "legal." With an eye firmly set on the end game, which I hope still remains to greatly reduce contact to the head and resulting concussions, it is irresponsible to continue down this path any longer. While each camp can passionately debate their respective position on whether to allow or eliminate high hits where significant contact to the head of an opponent results, I respectfully submit this issue should no longer be a matter of personal opinion. Instead, it should only be about "science." Through irrefutable medical evidence, we now know the short and long term effects of blows to the head. This road map can provide us with a clear picture of the end game! Brooks Orpik set up to deliver a body check as he slowed and glided toward Jonathan Toews in the corner. Toews sole intent was to advance the puck around the end wall. In doing so, Jonathan Toews lowered his body posture to place him (and particularly his head) in a vulnerable position and must share the responsibility for the location of where he was hit. The onus of "how" the contact was delivered and the "degree of force" utilized is exclusively on Brooks Orpik and taken into account by the referee to determine the legality of the check. No differently than the vast majority of current players, Brooks Orpik finished his hit on Jonathan Toews with considerable force as demonstrated by his upward launch with skates high off the ice. This intensified the velocity and violence of the hit regardless of whether Toews was in a vulnerable position or not. In many cases I would even suggest that an opponents apparent vulnerability is something a player will capitalize on to enhance the degree of force exerted through a hit. We certainly dont see many players let up! Rule 42.1 tells us that a minor or major shall be imposed on a player who "jumps into" an opponent. The "jump" element of this rule was once applied when a players skates lost contact with the ice. Charging is seldom called in the current era of the game, where players leave their feet with far more frequency in the act of delivering a body check than ever before. The most common "excuse" for not calling this infraction is that a players skates did not completely leave the ice prior to initiating body contact. This generous and liberal interpretation is extended to include times when the toe tip of one skate remains in contact with the ice at impact. Referees should be directed to impose a charging penalty in every case when a players skates leave the ice in the act of delivering a body check, period. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to see the end game; just a medical scientist! <a href="https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/820j-gorgui-dieng-jersey-timberwolves.html">Gorgui Dieng Jersey</a>. The Calgary skip fell 10-8 to Swedens Oskar Eriksson in semifinal action Saturday and will face Switzerlands Peter de Cruz for the bronze medal (Saturday at 10pm et/7pm pt on TSN2). <a href="https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/210j-derrick-williams-jersey-timberwolves.html">Derrick Williams Jersey</a>. New York secured second place in the Metropolitan Division when the Philadelphia Flyers lost at Tampa Bay later Thursday. The Rangers will face either the Flyers or Columbus in the opening round of the post-season. The Rangers struggled throughout against the lowly Sabres and goalie Matt Hackett, who played in just his seventh NHL game of the season. <a href="https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/620j-ryan-gomes-jersey-timberwolves.html">https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/620j-ryan-gomes-jersey-timberwolves.html</a>. Horford is out 3-to-4 months with a torn pectoral muscle for the Hawks, who have won two straight and five of six games. Atlanta improved to 2-0 on the residency with Saturdays 93-91 triumph over Minnesota, as Ivan Johnson scored his teams final four points, including the game-winning free throw with 4. <a href="https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/110j-corey-brewer-jersey-timberwolves.html">Corey Brewer Jersey</a>. And follow TSN.ca right through Wednesdays 3pm et trade deadline for all the updates. Blue line help for Red Wings? In addition to what he reported in Insider Trading, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun wrote on ESPN. <a href="https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/590j-sam-mitchell-jersey-timberwolves.html">Sam Mitchell Jersey</a>. "Youre not really spending time to sit back and analyze what your competitions doing and things like that," Anthopoulos said. "Youre so focused on what were trying to get done." Ultimately, while the landscape around them changed with trades both major and minor, the Blue Jays did nothing before Thursdays non-waiver deadline.The Philadelphia Flyers will try to avoid their first three-game slide in over a month when they visit the last-place Buffalo Sabres for Tuesdays battle at First Niagara Center. You can watch the game live on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Flyers had won seven of eight before dropping their last two outings on consecutive days over the weekend. Philadelphia was handed a 6-3 loss by the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon before dropping a 4-1 decision to the Rangers the following night in New York City. Philadelphia dug itself an early 2-0 hole against the Rangers, as former Flyer Daniel Carcillo scored just 2:14 into the game and Rick Nash followed suit only 28 seconds later. New York would hold a 3-0 edge at the end of 20 minutes and pushed its lead to 4-0 in the second period. Mark Streits third-period tally was the lone offense for the Flyers, while Ray Emery allowed all four scores on 35 shots in defeat. "We have to be more ready," Philadelphia head coach Craig Berube said. "You have to be as quick as them." The Flyers havent lost three in a row since an 0-2-1 slide from Dec. 7-11. Philadelphia hopes to get back on track tonight in Western New York, where it has lost two straight. The Flyers did host the Sabres on Nov. 21 and recorded a 4-1 win to open the three-game season series. Philly has won two of three and six of the last eight overall meetings in this matchup.dddddddddddd The Sabres, who are in the basement of both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings, are 2-0-1 over their last three games. Buffalo last played on Sunday, when it recorded a shootout win in Washington. Cody Hodgson registered the shootout winner, as Buffalo snuck past the Capitals, 2-1, at Verizon Center. Five previous shooters failed to produce a marker, until Hodgson made several stick fakes and stuck a wrister high and inside the right post to complete the third round and end the contest. Ryan Miller made 28 saves and improved to 6-1-1 in his last eight starts. One of the three goaltenders in the running to start for Team USA in Sochi, Miller has saved all nine Washington shootout chances this season. Tyler Ennis netted a power-play score in regulation for the Sabres, who have showed signs of improvement with a 6-3-2 record over their last 11 games. "We want to play on the right side of the puck, and we want to create ourselves an identity," said Sabres head coach Ted Nolan. "What type of team do we want to be? Not a team that plays one way for 20 minutes and then slips off for five." Buffalo is 9-12-3 on home ice this season and had won five straight as the host before losing a 2-1 shootout decision to Florida on Thursday. <a href="http://www.chinawholesalejerseysnfl.com/">Wholesale Jerseys</a> ' ' '

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. Vapormax 2020 . - An impressive win over Arizonas strong defence was a confidence-booster for running back Steven Jackson and the Falcons offence.Atlanta will need to build on that win to help give the Falcons defence a chance in Monday nights game at Green Bay.Led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers rank second in the NFL in scoring. The Packers (9-3) have scored more than 50 points in two of their last three home games. Rodgers has thrown 20 TD passes with no interceptions at home this season.Thats scary for the Falcons, who rank last in the league in total defence and against the pass.The best hope for Atlantas defence will be minimizing Rodgers time on the field. That puts pressure on the Falcons offence, led by quarterback Matt Ryan. The Falcons had 500 yards in their 29-10 win over the Cardinals on Sunday.I think it gives you confidence that you can go out there and play with anybody in this league, Ryan said. But I think even before last week we had that.Jackson ran for 101 yards against the Cardinals — his first 100-yard game in his two years with Atlanta. The 240-pound back gained more than half of his yards on a 55-yard run — his longest since 2009.Hes a big guy, Packers linebacker Nick Perry said Friday. We know at the end of the day weve got to tackle. Thats going to be a big emphasis going up to this game, just getting all hats to the ball.Ryan is hoping Jackson and Atlantas other running backs, Jacquizz Rodgers and Devonta Freeman, provide offensive balance against the Packers.Were a better offence when were balanced and thats important for us as we move forward, Ryan said.Jackson said one reason for Atlantas improved production is the growth of a young, rebuilt offensive line. The current version of the line, which has had four starters suffer season-ending injuries, has had five weeks to play together.Weve been playing with a changing of the guard up there but right now we have a unit that has been together for the last few weeks, Jackson said. Theyre starting to jell and understand each other. Were starting to get comfortable as runners with that unit. Hopefully going forward, we can continue to have an explosive running game.One of the few constants on the line has been rookie left tackle Jake Matthews, who will face his cousin, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews.The line includes another rookie, centre James Stone, who signed as an undrafted free agent.I feel like our line is getting better every week, Stone said. Weve come together and were trying to get better as a unit.Stone is Atlantas third starting centre, following Joe Hawley and Peter Konz. Tackles Sam Baker and Lamar Holmes also are on injured reserve.The Falcons had the big day against Arizona even without wide receiver Roddy White, who was held out with an ankle injury. Julio Jones was Ryans top target, catching 10 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown.White has not practiced this week. Coach Mike Smith said Friday he hopes White can practice on Saturday and play on Monday night.The Falcons (5-7) have won three of four and remain in first place in the NFC South.Atlanta players have heard all the jokes about the woeful division. Jackson said the bottom line is they remain in control of their playoff hopes — just like the Packers.We are relevant, Jackson said. Were No. 1 in the South and weve got to keep it that way. Whenever you can control your own destiny, thats the way you want it. As long as we continue to take it one week at a time and find a way to win, well be OK.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___AP Sports Writer Genaro C. Armas in Green Bay, Wisconsin, contributed to this report.___Follow Charles Odum on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CharlesOdum Wholesale Vapormax .com) - Eric Fehrs goal 42 seconds into overtime lifted the Washington Capitals to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Columbus, halting the Blue Jackets seven-game win streak. Vapormax For Sale . Johansen scored twice and Derek MacKenzie, Brandon Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson also had goals to lead the Blue Jackets to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, ending a three-game losing skid. https://www.cheapvapormaxoutlet.com/ .com) - NFL owners have unanimously approved the sale of the Buffalo Bills.OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens have placed wide receiver Brandon Stokley on injured reserve, ending his season. Stokley sustained a concussion in Sundays game against the Minnesota Vikings. He has had multiple concussions over his 15-year career, and the Ravens determined after testing that the 37-year-old would not be able to return anytime soon. Stokkley began his career with the Ravens in 1999 and signed a one-year contract as a free agent in August. Clearance Air Vapormax. He battled through a series of injuries and played in only six games, catching 13 passes for 115 yards. Stokley was replaced on the roster by running back Bernard Scott, who was waived Saturday to make room for tight end Dennis Pitta ' ' '

BARCELONA, Spain - Mercedes rivals hope a busy three weeks of tinkering on their slower cars and the move to European tracks will be enough to at least threaten Lewis Hamiltons and Nico Rosbergs stranglehold on Formula One. Balenciaga Sock Shoes Discount . The Mercedes pair head into Sundays Spanish Grand Prix after sweeping the first four races in impressive style, with the most compelling driving coming between the teammates while the pack puttered away in the distance. The switch to V6 turbo hybrid engines has dislodged Red Bull as F1s dominant team after four seasons, and Mercedes was also dealing far better than the rest with the new powertrain and other rule changes. Hamilton has led a Mercedes one-two finish with Rosberg in the last three races after the German won the season opener. The silver-and-teal duo have also taken all four pole positions, and set the fastest lap at each grand prix. "We are now four races into the 2014 season and hold a strong position in both championships," Mercedes team executive director Toto Wolff said. "However, the first European round of the year always provides a prime opportunity for teams to arrive with improvements to their cars. Of course, we are no different to any other team in that respect and our aim must be to increase the advantage we enjoyed at the last race in China." Neither Hamilton nor Rosberg has yet to win at the Circuit de Catalunya, although they did take the top two positions in qualifying here last year. Rosberg, who has a four-point lead over Hamilton in the championship, said that after years of racing and preseason tests at Barcelona "there is probably no other track in the world" that he knows better. "I also have some good memories of race weekends in Barcelona," Rosberg said. "Last year (...) I started from pole position so Im looking forward to going back there again, and maybe repeating that particular feat. Each team will have been pushing hard during the break to find some extra performance from new parts. So it will certainly be an interesting weekend." Red Bull will be counting on making strides after a dismal start to Sebastian Vettels title defence. Vettel has yet to finish better than third place, and has twice been ordered by his team to let new teammate Daniel Ricciardo pass him for higher finishes in the last two races. Vettel said a lot would depend on doing well in Saturdays qualifying because the track design offers few chances to challenge front-runners. The Montmelo circuit features one long straightaway before the first corner, which is considered the best for overtaking. It is also known to be tough on tires. Paul Hembery, the director of tire provider Pirelli, said that despite the tracks abrasive surface and high temperatures they expected teams to need only three pit stops instead of four as they have made in the past. Ferraris Fernando Alonso proved last season that wise tire management and smooth pit stops can be enough to compensate for a lack of overall speed. Alonso enters the race in a distant third place, with 41 points to Rosbergs 79 and Hamiltons 75, but after managing to finally reach the podium at Shanghai in Ferraris first race under new team principal Marco Mattiacci. The two-time former world champion has a strong record in front of his home fans, with wins here both last year and in 2006 to give him seven career podium finishes at the Spanish GP. His victory one year ago was Ferraris last as a team. With Alonso and teammate Kimi Raikkonen far behind the pacesetters, the Italian team will need a near perfect weekend to break its poor run. "With Fernando weve seen an extraordinary level of performance, scavenging every possible point at every possible opportunity," Ferrari technical director James Allison said. "We are learning how to get performance out of this new set of regulations, and hopefully to make this car more competitive. The key to a successful season is to keep improving your car at every race." Balenciaga Shoes Cheap . - Even with a new coach, the Denver Nuggets still love to push the basketball. Balenciaga Triple S Black Sale . -- Southern Illinois coach Barry Hinson couldnt hear himself amid the roar in Koch Arena, so he kept stomping on the floor in a fruitless attempt to get his teams attention. http://www.balenciagacheapshoes.com/ . Millsap will miss Wednesday nights game against the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks say Millsap also will be held out on Thursday at Boston.Mike OShea hates losing. The first-year head coach has made that much crystal clear in his pair of post-game media sessions. His Blue Bombers are winless and their preseason schedule is complete. Now two days into a 12-day stretch before the regular season begins, Winnipegs freshly-minted field general is communicating optimism and relaying the positives in his football club. "I think the offence did a great job," OShea told reporters on Monday afternoon, his first availability in Winnipeg following the Bombers 23-20 loss in Calgary on Saturday. "When you look at the numbers to go along with that film — no two-and-outs, 26 first downs — that should be good enough to win." But its tough to beat a team like the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon when you spot them a 14-point lead after a quarter of play. So is OShea at all concerned with his starting defence allowing touchdown drives of 52 and 59 yards in Calgarys first three possessions, and 129 rushing yards in the first half? "No. No, I am not concerned at all. I know what weve put in and I know that well keep working. The effort is there. The buy-in is there. Im excited, actually. I got pulled out of the defensive meeting to come (speak to media). I just missed some great stuff." This seems somewhat contradictory when you look at the ease in which the Stampeders offence trotted down the field in the opening twenty minutes when it was starters versus starters. OShea has stated that coordinator Gary Etcheverrys defence has been purposefully "vanilla" in their preseason looks, keeping their cards close to the vest. And consider the likes of Johnny Sears and Donovan Alexander — two probable Week 1 starters — were also out of Saturdays lineup as they continue to recover from groin and calf injuries, respectively. The offence, meanwhile, indeed looked calculated and collected with Drew Willy at the helm. The first-year starter finished his day 14-of-23 for 172 yards, and could have been upwards of 70 per cent passing if it werent for a few easily caught balls that slipped through the hands of his receivers. "We started slow again, I think as an entire team. We have to find a way to rectify that," said OShea when questioned about his offence. "I thought the offence performed very well. I thought they played with a lot of heart. They played a real physical style. We ran the ball. We threw the ball. We moved the ball down the field. We moved the ball out from our own end. Maybe we didnt capitalize on enough of those opportunities down deep. Theres some very positive things." "We are still evaluating the No. 2 (quarterback) position, for sure," added OShea. "But yes, it was important to put Drew (Willy) back out there, and to give credit where its due, (offeensive coordinator) Marcel (Bellefeuille) came to me (at halftime) and said, lets put him back out. Balenciaga Sock Shoes Cheap. And we did." Keeping Willy in for the opening possession of the third quarter proved shrewd, as he engineered his third scoring drive on 10 plays that covered 76 yards before stalling on first-and-goal. Coming out after the break and continuing to build in-game experience with his receivers, backs, and linemen should prove worthwhile as the new No. 1 establishes chemistry with the pieces around him. Quarterbacks Brian Brohm, Max Hall, and Robert Marve all saw time running Winnipegs offence in preseason games, and it looks from afar that a decision will have to be made between Brohm and Hall as to who will backup Willy. Young Marves cannon-arm, deep ball accuracy, and ability to turn up field and dash for first downs will likely see him stick around as he familiarizes himself with the Canadian game. Its been a while since there has been a young project pivot in Winnipeg. The potential is there. Injury Report: Several projected starters missed the game in Calgary, including slotbacks Nick Moore (back) and Cory Watson (hamstring), cornerback Donovan Alexander (calf), and defensive back/linebacker Johnny Sears (groin). OShea says Watson will finally return to practice this week after sitting out since Day 2 of camp... Another National slotback, Julian Feoli-Gudino, suffered a "lower-body" injury late last week and looks to return soon, as the club may have to start him next to Watson and Rory Kohlert in a three-National receiver set since the loss of defensive tackle Ryan Lucas for the season with an ACL tear... The old adage You cant make the club from the tub is beginning to find reference alongside every mention of 2013 All-Star running back Will Fords name as of late. The position battle between rookies Nic Grigsby and Paris Cotton is reaching critical mass, and Fords layup since Day 3 of camp with a hamstring pull just may cost him his job... Speaking of Cotton, who was again impressive with the ball in his second preseason game (5 carries for 58 yards, 2 receptions for 24 yards), suffered an undisclosed leg injury late on Saturday. The explosive and slippery tailback is receiving assessment from the doctor on Monday and an update will be provided this week... According to the media release sent out by the team Monday morning, National linebacker Graig Newman, whom Kyle Walters targeted aggressively in free agency this winter, will "miss the 2014 season" with a dislocated and fractured ankle. Mike OShea isnt so sure stating, "Im not saying hes done for the season... Im optimistic and so is (Newman). Well see him soon... Ask me again in a couple months. Three months, possibly. Hes got a good spirit." Newman underwent surgery on Monday. ' ' '

ST. Mohamed Bamba Jersey . PAUL, Minn. - After stumbling briefly, Wayne Simmonds and the Philadelphia Flyers found the right combination to extend their success on the road.Simmonds scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period, lifting Philadelphia to a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild for their third straight victory.Vincent Lecavalier, Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier and Michael Raffl also scored for the Flyers, who have won the first three games of an eight-game road trip that spans 15 days.Its always nice to get the first six points on a road trip and well go home and enjoy our families and be ready when we come back, Simmonds said.Marco Scandella and Charlie Coyle scored for Minnesota, losers of four in a row.The Wild went through rough stretches last season as well, but pulled it together to make the playoffs and take Chicago to six games in the second round. But coach Mike Yeo doesnt want to hear about last year.If we keep sitting around waiting for that to reappear without actually doing the things that make that happen, then well continue to be disappointed, he said.Simmonds broke a 2-all tie with his team-leading 15th goal of the season at 15:22 of the second period, beating goalie Darcy Kuemper high after teammate Brayden Schenn battled along the boards to secure the puck.The Flyers are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games.Zach Parise appeared to tie it early in the third, but the goal was overturned following a replay review.Officials ruled that the left post was raised off the ice and the puck slid underneath the net.For a second it was kind of nerve-wracking, but I realized the net was up, and you could see it up, goalie Ray Emery said.Three minutes later, Lecavalier tipped in Andrew MacDonalds slap shot for his third goal in two games to make it 4-2.Raffl added an empty-netter late in the third and left the Wild searching for answers.Were supposed to be a band of brothers that goes out, night in and night out, and lays it on the line for each other, defenceman Matt Cooke said. We found that last year. Just because we had it last year doesnt mean that its here this year. We have to go out and earn the trust in each other.Not falling behind early and chasing the rest of the game is one way to help redevelop that trust. Couturier and Giroux scored before the Wild had a shot in the first period.Minnesota finally registered its first shot at 9:55 of the opening period, then got on the board when Scandella fired a slap shot past Emery 8 seconds later for his third goal in four games.Minnesota tied it 3:43 into the second when Jason Pominvilles misfire deflected off Coyle and went in on the power play. It was Coyles first goal in 26 games.We kind of got off our game a little bit after we got the two-goal lead and started cursing a little bit, Simmonds said.Thanks to another good night from Lacavalier, it didnt take long for the Flyers to pull it together and start rolling again.We played the way we should play on the road, Lecavalier said. We played hard and physical and we helped out the goalies and we helped each other out.Emery stopped 22 shots for his third straight win after dropping four in a row.NOTES: Flyers C Zac Rinaldo (upper body) missed his second straight game. ... The Wild recalled goalie John Curry from AHL Iowa under emergency conditions to replace Niklas Backstrom (illness). ... Giroux added an assist and now leads the team with 31. ... Wild D Mikael Granlund returned after missing Saturdays game with an illness. ... QB Mitch Leidner, TE Maxx Williams and C Tommy Olson from the University of Minnesota football team led the crowd in the ceremonial Lets play hockey! chant before the game. The Gophers play Missouri in the Citrus Bowl on New Years Day. Terry Catledge Jersey .com) - Delon Wright scored 17 points and No. Scott Skiles Jersey . Louis Cardinals continued their offensive tear with a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a four-game series. https://www.cheapmagiconline.com/ . Lack replaced an injured Roberto Luongo late in the first period then watched defenceman Chris Tanev score the winning goal midway through the third as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Jets 2-1 in a tight NHL game.SAN FRANCISCO -- As fans filed out of AT&T Park and into a sunny San Francisco afternoon, they serenaded the home team with chants of "Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!" The tune has become a familiar sound here this season -- and its only June. Gregor Blanco doubled, singled and drove in three runs, and the surging San Francisco Giants beat the New York Mets 6-4 on Sunday for their fifth straight win. "Theres nothing I can complain about," manager Bruce Bochy said. The Giants completed their fourth sweep of the season. Theyve won 14 of 17 games to build baseballs best record at 42-21, and they own a 9 1/2 game lead over the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Even those on the 2012 and 2010 World Series teams cant remember a regular-season roll like this. "Were going to ride it out, ride the wave," said Tim Lincecum, who allowed two home runs to Curtis Granderson in six innings. "Its fun to be a part of." San Francisco has done it behind a deeper lineup, which was evident again in its latest victory. Blanco gave Angel Pagan a day off in centre field. Hector Sanchez started at catcher for All-Star Buster Posey. Off-season addition Michael Morse played first base for Brandon Belt, who is on the disabled list with a broken left thumb. And Brandon Hicks started at second base, as he has most of the season for the injured Marco Scutaro. Morse, Hicks and Brandon Crawford each drove in a run for the Giants, who chased Zack Wheeler in the fourth. Wheeler (2-6) gave up four runs and six hits. "The club is getting contributions from everybody," Bochy said. "Last year, it seemed like your hope is through the heart of the order and then you have to wait for them to come back around." Grandersons two long balls provided the biggest highlights for the Mets, who have lost a season-high six straight. Lincecum (5-4) allowed six hits, struck out six and walked one in six innings. Four relievers held the Mets to one run in two innings before Sergio Romo recorded his 20th save in 22 chances. "Its tough to keeep losing by one or two runs," Wheeler said. Horace Grant Jersey. "But were at least keeping them close and on the edge of winning games by one or two runs." The Giants overcame deficits against the mistake-prone Mets in all three games. Following the pattern that played out all weekend, Granderson drove a 3-0 pitch over the wall in centre to give New York a 2-0 lead in the first. He hit his eighth homer of the season in the sixth and doubled in the eighth. The Mets might have scored more if Matt den Dekker had not been caught stealing third in the first. Blancos two-run double capped a three-run second for the Giants. Morse drove in another run to give San Francisco a 4-2 lead when he grounded into a double play in the third. "We do have confidence," Blanco said. "Anytime we see ourselves losing a game, for some reason, we step it up. For some reason, we get mad and things start happening." Lincecum singled in the fourth for his first hit of the year. That also ended the afternoon for Wheeler, who gave up four runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings. He struck out six and walked two. Granderson started to bring the Mets back with a solo shot over the wall in right and into McCovey Cove in the sixth. It was his 15th multihomer game and first since Oct. 3, 2012, while playing with the Yankees against Boston. After Blancos RBI single in the seventh, Granderson doubled in the eighth, putting Daniel Murphy in position to score from third on Jean Machis wild pitch. Machi got Chris Young to fly out with Granderson on third to keep the Giants ahead. Brandon Hicks singled home another run for San Francisco in the eighth. NOTES: Mets 3B David Wright was out of the starting lineup for the first time all season. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh. ... San Francisco opens a four-game home series against Washington on Monday, sending Ryan Vogelsong (4-2, 3.39 ERA) to the mound opposite Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg (5-4, 3.10). ... The Mets have Monday off before beginning a three-game series against Milwaukee on Tuesday in New York. ' ' '

Sochi, Russia - The closing ceremony of the Sochi Games brought a flashy and tuneful end Sunday night to the most expensive Olympics in history. Wes Iwundu Jersey . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. They opted for human rings this time, the last one opening several seconds after the first four on the floor of the stadium. It echoed the hijinks from Vancouvers closing ceremony four years ago, when a leg of the cauldron that failed to come up during the opening ceremony was finally raised into place. Sundays ceremony at Fisht Olympic Stadium included a handoff from Sochi to Pyeongchang, South Korea, host of the 2018 Winter Games. Near the end, the cauldron that was lit 16 days earlier by Russian Olympic greats Vladislav Tretiak and Irina Rodnina was extinguished after one of the games mascots, an animatronic bear, blew out a flame in the center of the stadium, a single tear dripping from its left eye. Earlier, after a childrens choir conducted by Valery Gergiev sung the Russian national anthem, flag bearers for each country entered the stadium together rather than country by country like in the opening ceremony. The athletes who stuck around for the festivities also came in together, as is customary for the closing ceremony. American ice hockey forward Julie Chu, who competed in her fourth Olympics, carried the U.S. flag. "So proud to represent Team USA (and) our amazing athletes. Humbled," Chu tweeted as she waited to enter the stadium. Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse, who won their second womens bobsled gold medal in a row, were co-flag bearers for Canada. Figure skater Maxim Trankov, a dual gold medalist in Sochi, carried Russias flag. Pop music played, but the ceremony also included a heavy dose of classical music and ballet like the opening ceremony, and a nod to Russian novelists and poets. All of it was done as temperatures hovered in the 40s, a cool close to the so- called Spring Olympics, where the weather was famously mild, with temperatures even climbing into the 60s on some days. That led to some strange scenes, including cross country skiers cutting the sleeves off their uniforms and American skier Julia Mancuso filming a surfing video for NBC on the Black Sea. There was a serious side to the warmer weather, of course, which wreaked havoc on some courses for the snow events. Snowboarders complained about slushy conditions on the halfpipe and the New York Times detailed a clandestine operation by organizers to purchase more salt needed to keep some courses properly iced. Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen set the all-time Winter Olympics record during the games by winning his 12th and 13th medals, both golds. But Russia led the overall medal count with 33, including 13 gold medals to fall one short of the Winter Games record of 14 set by Canada four years ago at the Vancouver Olympics. The U.S. finished second with 28 medals, nine fewer than the Winter Games record 37 they captured in Vancouver. Norway was third overall with 26 medals and Canada won 25, including 10 gold -- the last secured by the mens hockey team on Sunday in a win over Sweden. The Russian anthem played for the last time at the closing ceremony during the medal ceremony for the mens 50-kilometer cross country race. Alexander Legkov led a Russian medal sweep of that event Sunday morning. Sochi organizing committee head Dmitry Chernyshenko called the games "a great moment in our history ... a moment that will never be forgotten." "This is the new face of Russia, our Russia," he said. "And for us, these games are the best ever." Russian President Vladimir Putins $51 billion Olympics were the subject of snickers early on when media and athletes arrived to find some accommodations lacking. Journalists relayed stories of unfinished rooms, broken door handles, missing shower curtains and even stray dogs in their media villages. One was told not to use the water in her bathroom, which was said to contain a dangerous chemical. U.S. bobsledder Johnny Quinn became an Internet sensation after tweeting a picture of his bathroom door, which he had broken through after becoming locked inside. The Twitter account SochiProblems had more than 330,000 followers by the time of Sundays closing ceremony, but the criticism so prevalent in the first days died down, giving way to wide praise of Sochis venues. IOC President Thomas Bach, presiding over his first games, said the athletes left a legacy of "peace, tolerance and respect" and urged, as IOC heads often do, that countries around the world follow the example. Bach thanked Putin for what he said was the Russian presidents "personal commitment to the extraordinary success" of the games. "We leave as friends of the Russian people," said Bach. News broke during the opening ceremony that a plane had been diverted to an airport in Turkey after a passenger on board allegedly issued a bomb threat and tried to have the aircraft redirected to Sochi. The incident further raised fears that Russias first Olympics in 34 years could be the target of a terrorist attack, but the games passed without any such incident. The host country faced criticism in the run-up to the games after passing laws last year aimed at keeping gay "propaganda" away from children, and officials remained adamant throughout that political protests should be kept away from Olympic venues. In the highest-profile incident of its kind, two members of the punk band Pussy Riot were among several people detained for several hours as they planned to film a protest video in Sochi. They set up a day later to film again, but were interrupted by Cossacks who attacked them with whips. The games went without a positive doping test until the final weekend, when there were six. In the last case, Swedish hockey star Nicklas Backstrom was scratched from the gold medal game Sunday after testing positive for a banned substance found in allergy medication his NHL team said he has been taking for seven years to combat severe allergies. The Washington Capitals said the medication was approved by the Swedish national team. Darrell Armstrong Jersey . When the Dallas Mavericks needed to stop a Golden State rally in the fourth quarter, they looked for defensive help from the rookie point guard playing in just his sixth game. Matt Harpring Jersey . Jannero Pargo scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to help the Charlotte Bobcats erase a 21-point deficit and rally for an 83-76 preseason victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night. https://www.cheapmagiconline.com/1048i-josh-magette-jersey-magic.html . -- Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Dodgers began the season poorly and then soared from last to first during a torrid 50-game stretch to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. The way they exited overshadowed it all. Los Angeles lost the NL championship series 4-2 to St. Louis on Friday night, with NL Cy Young Award favourite Clayton Kershaw turning in a rare clunker on the mound while getting no offence from teammates in a 9-0 defeat. It wasnt the ending sought by the team with baseballs second-highest payroll at the end of the regular season — more than $236 million. The Dodgers drought of World Series appearances now extends to 26 years. "Going through spring, the long season, and then it just comes to a crash, so its disappointing for all of us," manager Don Mattingly said. Now, the Dodgers face several decisions in the off-season, starting with Mattingly. He led the team to 92 wins and the NL West title in his contracts final guaranteed season. The 52-year-old manager is 261-226 in three seasons and the team holds a $1.4 million option for next year. "You all can question this move or that move, but nothing really caught me by surprise," he said about managing in his first playoffs. "I didnt feel overwhelmed by it." The Dodgers will be discussing new contracts for Kershaw and Hanley Ramirez, the teams best hitter who played hurt during the NLCS. Kershaw had the major leagues lowest ERA for the third straight season while pitching a career-high 259 innings between the regular season and the playoffs. He needed 48 pitches to get out of the third inning Friday, when he allowed four runs. The left-hander is entering his final year of salary-arbitration eligibility. "We had some good moments this year," Kershaw said. "Put together a good streak there toward the middle, but really unless you win the whole thing it doesnt make a difference." Ramirez has one year left on his contract. He hit .500 in the division series against Atlanta with six RBIs in four games. Then he got plunked by a pitch from Joe Kelly in Game 1 of the NLCS and was never the same. Ramirez broke his left rib and batted just .133, going 2 for 15 against the Cardinals. Among the teams dozen potential freee agents are starters Ricky Nolasco and Edinson Volquez, along with bearded reliever Brian Wilson, who revived his career while bolstering the Dodgers bullpen. Drew Gooden Jersey. Relievers J.P. Howell and Carlos Marmol could leave, too, as well as infielder Juan Uribe, considered a clubhouse favourite by his teammates. The Dodgers bench could be facing a makeover, with veterans Jerry Hairston, Nick Punto, Skip Schumaker and Michael Young all eligible for free agency. "Whenever a season ends, no matter what, you know this entire group of guys wont be together next year," said catcher A.J. Ellis, whose .316 hitting proved a bright spot against St. Louis. "Its the last time these guys will be together in this room, and that hurts." Besides Ramirez, outfielder Andre Ethier was slowed by shin splints throughout the playoffs, when the Dodgers didnt have outfielder Matt Kemp. He spent the season on and off the disabled list, although his absence didnt prevent the clubs heralded turnaround in July and August. "Im really proud of my club," Mattingly said. "I felt like these guys hung in all year long." Rookie Yasiel Puig injected much-needed energy into the struggling club upon his arrival in early June. He nearly made the All-Star team, and his at-bats became must-see events. But the 22-year-old Cuban defector bottomed out against the Cardinals, going 5-for-22 with 10 strikeouts, and committed two errors in Game 6, when he made a pair of terrible throws and allowed Yadier Molinas single to bounce off his glove and skip away. "Weve got to do a better job of helping him to mature and understand what we want done and the way to do it," Mattingly said. The Dodgers won the NL West by 11 games over Arizona, their biggest margin since the team moved West from Brooklyn after the 1957 season. But they failed to earn home-field advantage in the playoffs. The Dodgers lost all three of their road games in St. Louis. "One of the key things is to try to get that home-field advantage so it doesnt happen like this," said infielder Adrian Gonzalez, who batted .300 against the Cardinals. "You cant win if you dont win on the road, especially if you dont have home-field advantage." ' ' '

TORONTO -- Poor defence early and bad free-throw shooting late cost the Toronto Raptors dearly Friday night. Still they made a game of it against the surging Miami Heat, cutting a 20-point deficit to two before falling 90-83 to the NBA champions. It was the Heats ninth straight win. "Missed opportunities," lamented Toronto coach Dwane Casey whose team trailed 57-43 at the half. Toronto went 2 for 10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. And there were other stumbles as the clock wound down. "It was a lot of opportunities that we didnt cash in on," said Casey. LeBron James scored 27 points and Dwyane Wade added 22 as Miami hung on for the win. DeMar DeRozan had 25 and Rudy Gay 21 for Toronto (6-9), which has lost two in a row and four of its last six. The Raptors led once -- 8-7 in the first quarter. Miami led 57-43 after a half that saw Toronto shoot 37.5 per compared to the Heats 57.1 -- thanks to 30 points in the paint from the visitors. It also helped that the Heat made 6-of-12 three-pointers in the first half while Toronto was good on only 4 of 17. Toronto, down by 20 in the third and trailing 78-70 going into the final quarter, made it close with its late rally but Miami survived a frenetic fourth that saw desperate defence from both sides. Wade saw the win as a confidence- and character-builder, a game "where everything is going great for you and then it doesnt." "How can you hold on, how can you figure out a way through all the adversity to continue to believe in the game plan and find a way to win?" The Heat (13-3) has lost just once in 13 outings since opening the season at 1-2. Miamis mastery over the Raptors now stands at 13 straight games. Torontos last win against the Heat was a 111-103 decision on Jan. 27, 2010, at the Air Canada Centre. The Raptors current all-time losing streaks against an opponent are the Bulls (15), Suns (14) and Heat and Pacers (13). Wade and James combined to score the first 13 points-- and 15 of the first 17 -- for Miami in the second half as the Heat stretched its lead. But Torontos DeRozan and Gay gradually chipped away at the lead, cutting it to eight as the third quarter ended. Toronto outscored Miami 27-21 in the third and 13-12 in the fourth. James synopsis of the game was simple. "We made our run and then they made theirs. At that point, its how you counter that. For us as a veteran ball club, its going to happen. We would have loved to push that huge lead up in the third, just keep it going. But theyve got some good players. They got stops, we turned the ball over, we didnt execute and they got back into the game. But we finished it up." And Toronto failed to take advantage at the free-throw line. James was nursing a sore finger, back and leg by the end of the night. "I got pretty banged up today. Im glad we got a day off (Saturday), I can try to get back in order." Baskets were hard to come by as the fourth quarter began with Chris (Birdman) Andersen flying though the air to block a DeRozan shot. A Kyle Lowry three-pointer made it 80-75 as Miami went cold. James returned to the fray but Toronto kept coming with a DeRozan jump shot cutting the lead to 83-79. A Gay layup reduced the deficit to two, at 83-81 with 4:22 remaining. Former Raptor Chris Bosh fouled out with 1:37 remaining with four points, five rebounds and one assist. Wade and James combined to score the first 13 points-- and 15 of the first 17 -- for Miami in the second half before Toronto launched its run. Casey saw positives in the loss "The way we played the second half, and I told the team in there, shows we can play with anybody. Thats the best team in the league and they were throwing their best haymakers down the stretch. "But theres two halves. We cant play one half and expect to beat anybody." Heat coach Erik Spoelstra hinted his team was frustrated at the officiating in the second half. "But we gathered ourselves the last two and a half minutes and played through it and were able to execute and come away with the win." "Clearly we were a different team once we were up 20 from where we were going down the stretch the last 10-12 minutes," Spoelstra added. "Thats something we constantly have to work at. Stay on edge. Most of it is mental, most of it with us and thats the challenge." Fridays game featured an unlikely matchup of division winners, with two-time defending champion Miami leading the Southeast and Toronto topping the less-competitive Atlantic. Miami led by as much as nine in the first quarter but Toronto, showing some muscle under the basket, closed the gap to two before Miami responded. The Heat led 27-22 after a quarter that saw the two teams combine for 12 turnovers. Bosh was booed during introductions but quieted the crowd with an early dunk. Wade dipped into his bag of tricks several times early on. DeRozan had Torontos first six points. James didnt try a shot until almost six minutes into the game but it was worth the wait -- a reverse slam dunk from a long pass from Wade that had the crowd gurgling while giving Miami a 16-8 lead. Even when the Heat failed, as during a 24-second violation in the first quarter, they entertained with their ball movement. A 7-0 run early in the second quarter and some flashy baskets from Wade padded the Miami lead to 13 with James on the bench. James returned in style midway through the quarter, with an ally-oop from Bosh for his second bucket. He then made a three-pointer and came up limping after being fouled by Tyler Hansbrough, making one of two subsequent free throws. James celebrated another ally-oop, this time from a Ray Allen feed, after a dazzling DeRozan run at the basket just kissed. The highlight-reel play put James into double figures for the 511th straight game. The Raptors conclude their four-game homestand Sunday against Denver, Toronto GM Masai Ujiris former team. <a href="https://www.cheapuswnt.com/">USWNT Gear</a>. -- EJ Manuel followed the worst game of his career with the best. <a href="https://www.cheapuswnt.com/">Wholesale USWNT Jerseys</a>. -- In the stadium program sold at the Miami Dolphins game on Halloween, Richie Incognito was asked whos the easiest teammate to scare. <a href="https://www.cheapuswnt.com/">https://www.cheapuswnt.com/</a>. -- Oakland Athletics third baseman Scott Sizemore has undergone surgery on his left knee to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. <a href="https://www.cheapuswnt.com/">Fake USWNT Jerseys</a>. Left-handed reliever Boone Logan agreed to a $16.5 million, three-year contract on Friday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. <a href="https://www.cheapuswnt.com/">USWNT Pro Shop</a>. Fans holding laudatory signs started showing up at Yankee Stadium when the gates opened at 4 p.m. Monday, an hour early in order to give them a chance to watch the New York captain take batting practice.Winnipeg Jets goaltender Peter Budaj cleared waivers on Tuesday and has been assigned to the AHL St. Johns IceCaps. Budaj was acquired along with Patrick Holland from the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday in exchange for Eric Tangradi. Michael Hutchinson will be Winnipegs back-up to start the season behind incummbent starter Ondrej Pavelec.dddddddddddd The Toronto Maple Leafs trio of Colton Orr, Korbinian Holzer, and Frazer McLaren all cleared waivers as well are eligible to be sent to the AHL Toronto Marlies. The Columbus Blue Jackets claimed Adam Cracknell off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings. <a href="http://www.chinawholesalejerseysnfl.com/">Wholesale Jerseys</a> ' ' '

PHILADELPHIA -- Jaromir Jagr isnt acting his age, and the New Jersey Devils are thrilled about it. Robert Franks Jersey . Jagr scored the winning goal to snap a third-period tie and lead the New Jersey Devils to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. It was the 21st goal of the season and sixth game-winning tally for Jagr, who is the NHLs career leader with 124. It also marked the 702nd career goal for the 42-year-old forward, who earlier this season became the seventh player to score 700 NHL goals. Jagr, in his 20th NHL season, is enjoying the opportunity the Devils have provided him. "Without the fun at my age, theres no chance you can play," Jagr said. "You have to grab the opportunity. I got a chance to play and now its up to me what kind of advantage I take of it." While outsiders might be surprised by Jagrs success, those close to him arent. "Hes done that all year for us," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. "Nothing surprises me about him. When youre around him, thats why hes one of the best of all time." Travis Zajac had the other goal for New Jersey (29-24-13), which won for the fifth time in seven games to move within two points of the third-place Flyers in the tightly bunched Metropolitan Division. Adam Henrique was held in check by the Flyers, and his six-game goal streak was snapped. Henrique had nine goals and two assists during that run. Nicklas Grossman scored for the Flyers (33-25-7), who are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. "Well, its a tough loss," Flyers coach Craig Berube said. "Obviously, our team battled hard; it was a good game, I thought we competed hard. We didnt score enough goals." Philadelphia had a potential tying goal by Scott Hartnell disallowed by officials with 40.1 seconds remaining because it was determined that Hartnell pushed goalie Martin Brodeur into the net. "Not saying he did it on purpose, but his momentum threw him into me," Brodeur said. "It really prevented me. It didnt warrant a penalty. I think its the right call." Brodeur won for the fourth straight time. Like Jagr, the 41-year-old Brodeur didnt show his age. "He was in a zone," Jagr said. "Its Marty Brodeur, what do you want me to say? Either youve got it or you dont, and hes got it." Brodeur also praised Jagr for his winning goal. "You cant teach that," he said of Jagrs skill level. "These are things that he does that not many players are able to have, and it comes natural to him." Marek Zidlicky set up Jagr for the decisive tally with a backhanded pass from behind the net. Jagr lifted it off goalie Steve Mason and just inside the near post from close range to put New Jersey ahead 2-1 with 12:18 left. "My dad always told me, You have to keep moving in the offensive zone," said Jagr, who also had an assist. "Thats what we did, and something is always opening up. Lucky break, but since we were skating a lot it creates chances." Jagr, a former Flyers player, is no stranger to success against Philadelphia. He raised his career total to 103 points in 90 career games versus the Flyers. "He was able to kind of just chip it and it snuck through there," Mason said. "Hes a big body, strong player when he has the puck on his stick and is able to protect it." Zajac opened the scoring 7:56 in when he beat Mason top shelf from a difficult angle after getting the Flyers goalie to sprawl on the ice following a deke in front. It was Zajacs 12th goal this season. Grossmann tied it 47 seconds into the second period with a rare soft goal allowed by Brodeur. Grossmann whirled and wristed a shot from the side boards near the Flyers bench. Brodeur misplayed the puck, and it went between his legs. Brodeur was solid otherwise, making 30 saves to improve to 50-31-10 against Philadelphia. Mason fell to 0-4 against the Devils. NOTES: Grossmann last scored on Feb. 20 of last season. ... Flyers centre Zac Rinaldo (upper body injury) sat out. He is day-to-day. ... Backup Philadelphia goalie Ray Emery (lower body injury) didnt play despite practicing on Monday. Emery hasnt played since being injured on Feb. 27. ... New Jersey went 2-1-1 against Philadelphia this season. Walter Herrmann Jersey . This is the final meeting of the season between these teams.? The Capitals were 5-4 winners in a shootout Oct. Al Jefferson Jersey . -- The taxing preseason, which included two games in China, is finally over. https://www.cheaphornets.com/ .Corey Brewer had 19 points eight rebounds, five assists and five steals for the Timberwolves, who snapped a six-game losing streak and won for just the third time since Ricky Rubio went out with an injured ankle on Nov. SALT LAKE CITY -- Utahs defence made a goal-line stand in the final minute and Dres Anderson scored twice, helping the Utes to their biggest upset at home as they held off No. 5 Stanford 27-21 on Saturday. This marked the first time in school history the Utes (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12) have knocked off a top-five program at Rice-Eccles Stadium. They beat No. 4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl following the 2008 season. The fans rushed the field after the final gun. Kevin Hogan marched the Cardinal down to the 6, but on fourth down, amid heavy pressure, he overthrew his intended target. The Utes took a knee to end the game and the 13-game winning streak of Stanford (5-1, 3-1). Utah kept Stanfords stingy defence off balance all day with a mix of draws and wide receiver screens. Anderson caught a 51-yard TD pass and scored another on a short run. Bubba Poole finished with 111 yards rushing. Ty Montgomery returned a kickoff for a touchdown for a second straight week. This time, Montgomery took the ball a few steps deep in the end zone and weaved through the Utes before going 100 yards, tying a Stanford record. Devon Cajuste made a diving catch on a fade route to trim the Utah lead to 27-21 with 9:22 remaining, but the Cardinal couldnt complete the comeback. A week after throwing six interceptions, Travis Wilson showed more poise in the pocket. His only mistake was on a screen, when his pass was tipped into the air and picked off by Joe Hemschoot. Wilson finished 23 of 34 for 234 yards and two touchdowns. He appeared to cut his throwing hand on a hard tackle early in the third quarter, continuously wiping the top of it on his towel. But the injury didnt seem to affect his touch. Stanford struggled on offence in the second half, turning the ball over twice on fumbles wiith linebacker Trevor Reilly recovering both. Charlotte Hornets Gear. The Utes turned those into field goals by Andy Phillips, a 23-yard and a 48-yarder. Phillips, a former U.S. ski team member, is 11 for 11 this season. Kevin Hogan dropped to 10-1 as a starter against a spirited Utah defence. It was a week filled with controversy for Stanford after Washington coach Steve Sarkisian accused the Cardinal of faking injuries to slow down the tempo, leaving Stanfords David Shaw to vigorously defend his program. This time, that wasnt an issue. Utah went on a season-long 99-yard drive in the second quarter, culminating with Andersons 3-yard score on an end-around. It gave Utah a 21-14 at halftime, marking the first time all season the Cardinal has trailed at the break. It was a day of firsts for the Stanford defence, which hadnt allowed an opening quarter TD all season until Saturday. Karl Williams scored on a 4-yard pass from Wilson on Utahs opening drive and Anderson later hauled in a 51-yard pass from Wilson. It was Andersons fifth play of 50 or more yards this season. Montgomery joins Bob Bryan (1950 against San Francisco) and Damon Dunn (1994 at Arizona State) as the only players with a 100-yard kickoff return in school history. After his electric run, Montgomery took big gulps of supplemental oxygen on the bench, the thin air of Salt Lake City getting to him unlike Utah special teamers on that play. Last week, Montgomery had a 99-yard TD return to open the game against Washington. He finished with three returns for 160 yards against Utah. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has been searching for someone to stand out at tailback between the trio he usually uses. Poole may have just moved to the head of the line. He also had seven catches for 75 yards. ' ' '

BOSTON - The Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday placed right fielder Wil Myers on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained his right wrist. Antonee Robinson Jersey . Myers was injured on the final play of a 3-2 loss Friday to the Boston Red Sox when his hand slapped the ground as he landed following a collision with centre fielder Desmond Jennings. The collision led to a game-ending triple by A.J. Pierzynski in the 10th inning. Myers, who also sat out Saturdays game, is batting .227 with five homers and 25 RBIs this season. Tampa Bay recalled Jerry Sands from Triple-A Durham to replace Myers. The 26-year-old Sands was batting .268 with 12 doubles, nine homers and a team-high 36 RBIs for the Bulls. Infielder Tim Beckham (right knee surgery) was transferred to the 60-day DL. USA Soccer Gear . Cruz set the tone with a two-run homer in the first inning, and Baltimore scored eight times in the eighth to pull away for a 12-3 victory in Game 1. The major league leader with 40 homers during the regular season, Cruz added an RBI single to his early blast off Max Scherzer. Russell Canouse Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/411j-marlon-fossey-jersey-usa.html . - The first sign that Kansas Speedway was going to be a heartbreaker for Hendrick Motorsports should have come during qualifying when Jimmie Johnson inexplicably spun and earned one of his worst starting spots since 2005.PERTH, Australia - Local West Australian golfer Brody Ninyette shot a 5-under 67 Saturday to take a one-shot lead after the third round of the Perth International. Ninyette, ranked 1,019th, had seven birdies and two bogeys in a round which left him alone at the top of the leaderboard at 8-under 208 in the European Tour event. He was a shot aheead of compatriot Brett Rumford, J. USA Soccer Jerseys 2019. B. Hansen of Denmark and Jin Jeong of South Korea. Rumford shot a 65, Hansen had a 66 and Jeong shot 69 to remain in strong contention at Australias richest tournament. Englands Richard Finch and Ross Fisher were among a group of five players a further shot back at 210. ' ' '

BALTIMORE - Dan Duquettes job description includes making trades that will help improve the Baltimore Orioles. Vans Shoes Clearance Sale .This off-season, Duquette was in the middle of a potential blockbuster deal.Duquette, the Orioles president of baseball operations, acknowledged Saturday there was substance to reports that the Toronto Blue Jays were in pursuit of him to be club president.A lot of times, players will be a trade rumour and sometimes managers get traded, Duquette said. Its even more rare that executives get traded, but occasionally it happens. Its a unique experience. I think when you have a good team and you do well, people take notice.Under Duquettes guidance, the Orioles won 96 games last season, captured the AL East for the first time since 1997 and advanced to the AL Championship Series.That piqued Torontos interest.As you get better as an organization, things that youre doing are trying to be either emulated or acquired, Orioles manager Buck Showalter noted. Its inevitable as an organization that, as you get better, people are going to be coveted more.Because Duquette is under contract with Baltimore through 2018, the Blue Jays had to offer Baltimore ample compensation to secure his services.No deal was made, so Duquette was talking about Orioles baseball on Saturday at FanFest, the teams annual winter convention.He insisted that Torontos advances did not distract him from seeking to put a better club on the field in 2015.Its important for the Orioles fans to know that my focus — and my singular focus — is on improving the team, he said. We do that day by day, trade by trade, addition by addition. We did that this year in the off-season like weve done it in the past.With the exception of Duquettes potential departure, its been a quiet off-season for Baltimore. The losses include free agent outfielders Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis, along with reliever Andrew Miller.The most notable addition is outfielder Travis Snider, obtained in a trade with Pittsburgh.But thats typical of Duquette, who followed a quiet winter in 2014 by adding Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez during spring training.While its important to improve your ballclub in off-season, were not really trying to win the off-season, Duquette said. Were trying to put together a team that can compete and get to the off-season and prevail. Thats different from making headlines in the winter time.Showalter had absolutely no complaint about the teams off-season activity.As we get into spring and there comes a need, well be able to do it, he said.The Orioles played much of the 2014 season without injured stars Manny Machado and Matt Wieters. Having them in the lineup will make more of a difference than any trade or free agent addition.The biggest and most powerful improvement we have to our ballclub this year is Machado coming back and Wieters coming back, Duquette said.In other news, suspended slugger Chris Davis said Saturday his use of Adderall last season was not as a performance enhancer but rather a way to cope with an oblique injury that landed him on the disabled list and played havoc with his swing.It was never a baseball issue, he said. Just an everyday life thing.Davis was suspended for 25 games. The punishment will expire after opening day.I was just kind of overwhelmed with everything that was going on last year with the injury, he said. There were a lot of things that were taking my focus away from baseball.Davis said he had previously been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, which got him a green light from the independent administrator of Major League Baseballs drug program to use the drug in 2008.I had an exemption in the past. It was denied in 2013 and obviously, I shouldnt have been taking it last year, Davis said. It was a moment of weakness.After batting .286 with 53 homers and 138 RBIs in 2013, Davis numbers slipped dramatically in 2014 to .196 with 26 homers and 72 RBIs.This year, he expects things to be different.Being away from it a month longer than the rest of these guys was tough at first, but I used it to my advantage to get into my workouts a little bit earlier, Davis said. I definitely think last year got off to a slow start, so this year I wanted to get off on the right foot. Im doing some different workouts this year.He jokingly said that included bunting down the third-base line, a way to cope with the shift that limited his effectiveness. Vans Old Skool Clearance Sale . The Cottagers last victory came in a 2-1 home win over West Ham when Rene Meulensteen was still in charge. Since then, a miserable run of seven defeats and two draws has seen the club part with the Dutch coach and replace him with German Felix Magath. Vans Old Skool Sale .J. -- John Elway says Peyton Manning cannot stamp himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history even if he wins the Super Bowl on Sunday. http://www.vanssalestore.com/ . - Suspended Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon has voluntarily checked into a treatment facility and seems to be doing well.ANAHEIM - J.A. Happ takes the mound opposite Jered Weaver on Monday night when the Toronto Blue Jays pay a visit to Angel Stadium to begin a three-game series. Happ has been solid since getting roughed up for seven runs in four innings at Cincinnati on June 21. He tossed 7 2/3 shutout frames against the Chicago White Sox while striking out eight in his next start. Most recently, Happ gave up four runs on six hits over seven innings while striking out four and walking nobody against Milwaukee on Wednesday. Weaver, after giving up just one earned run in each of his previous two starts, was tagged for five runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Once again, the long ball hurt Weaver as he gave up two home runs to run his seasons total to 16 allowed. Prior to his last start, Weaver had gone 17 straight innings without giving up a homer. "I just left a couple pitches up, and those guys put it where they should," Weaver said. L.A. has won 10 straight at home and 15 of its last 16 overall at Angel Stadium. The Halos concluded a four-game home sweep of the Houston Astros following Sundays 6-1 victory. Starter Garrett Richards struck out a career-high 11 while pitching 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball to improve to 10-2 on the season. Koole Calhoun homered and went 3-for-3, while Albert Pujols was 2-for-3 including a two-run single. Vans Toy Story Sale. The Blue Jays are trying to avoid a season-worst fifth straight loss, although they will have to do so without All-Star slugger Edwin Encarnacion, who is expected to miss at least two weeks with a strained right quadriceps that he injured during Saturdays 5-1 loss at Oakland. Encarnacion is second in the majors in both home runs (26) and RBI (70). "It hurts us not having him on the team," said outfielder and fellow All-Star Jose Bautista. "The No. 1 priority is to get him better." Toronto, which leads the majors with 114 homers on the season, lost each game of a four-game set at Oakland as the offense went 0-for-20 with runners in scoring position. It was more of the same for the teams suddenly lackluster offense during Sundays 4-2 loss, which dropped the team two games behind Baltimore in the AL East standings. The Blue Jays held a one-game lead atop the division entering the series against the Athletics. "We got shut down big time," manager John Gibbons said. "Were just not very good right now. Were just not producing." The Angels won three of four when these teams met up at Rogers Centre from May 9-12. ' ' '

With the NHL Draft coming up on June 27 and free agency opening on July 1, discussions between NHL general managers are heating up towards a busy off-season. Custom New Orleans Saints Jerseys . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Double Coverage New Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving is sitting pretty comfortably heading into Fridays NHL Draft. Holding the fourth overall pick, Treliving is confident he can improve his club one way or another - be it by selecting fourth or making a bold move. Treliving told the Calgary Herald Sunday that he likes his options in both scenarios. "Well look at anything. Moving up . . . again, what does it cost you? Does it make sense? . . . Whoever shakes out at four is going to be a good player," he told the Heralds Kristen Odland. "But you also cant be fearful of making a big move because you think it may turn out wrong," he added. "If you think it makes sense, you do it. You dont do it because, What if it goes wrong? You do have to have courage to do things." Back to Backstrom Teams in need of a veteran presence in net may have something to talk about with Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher. Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes that Fletcher "may be willing to retain salary and cap space to trade goalie Niklas Backstrom, who is recovering well from season-ending abdominal and hip surgeries." Along with centre Kyle Brodziak, Fletcher may be a prime candidate to make some moves leading up to, or on Draft Day itself. But Fletcher admits that its tough to get things done before hitting the draft floor. "Everyone calls everybody," Fletcher told Russo. "You dont see a whole bunch of trades the week prior to the draft. Its all about trying to figure out who your likely dance partners can be the week at the draft. Itll take a move or two to get the ball rolling, and then theres usually a domino-type effect. Were not there yet." Crow Nesting Marc Crawfords name has popped up as several teams have filled or are looking to fill coaching vacancies early in the off-season. It appears, though, that you can scratch his name off any and all candidates lists as he will be heading back to Switzerland for the 2014-15 season. Crawford is going to remain as head coach of the ZSC Lions of Swiss Elite League, the team announced via Twitter on Sunday. The Lions are the reigning Swiss title holders. New Orleans Saints Gear . -- Miami Dolphins defensive co-ordinator Kevin Coyle defended the management style of coach Joe Philbin in the wake of the teams bullying scandal. New Orleans Saints Store . And Richard Bachman, their rookie goalie, is facing a penalty shot a few seconds after the opening face-off. No pressure, right? Bachman stood his ground against Zack Kassian and saw the puck dribble off the Canuck rookies stick, then settled in and backstopped the Stars to a 5-2 win over Vancouver Tuesday that put Dallas in first place in the Pacific Division. https://www.saintsjerseyssale.com/ . Irving played 10 minutes Sunday night before going to the locker room. He had two points and four assists, missing all five of his shots. The All-Star game MVP is the top scorer among Eastern Conference point guards with 21.null ' ' '