CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NAPA Auto Parts said Thursday it will end its multimillion-dollar sponsorship of Michael Waltrip Racing at the end of the year, the latest fallout from the teams attempt to manipulate a race to get Martin Truex Jr. into NASCARs version of the playoffs. Napa is Truexs primary sponsor and in the first year of a three-year extension announced last August. The deal ran through the 2015 season and is believed to be worth at least $15 million a year. "NAPA believes in fair play and does not condone actions such as those that led to the penalties assessed by NASCAR," NAPA said in a statement. "We remain supportive of the millions of NASCAR fans and will evaluate our future position in motorsports." The company issued a harsh rebuke of MWR last week after NASCAR sanctioned the organization for its shenanigans in the Sept. 7 race at Richmond. MWR was punished for deliberately manipulating the outcome of the race in an attempt to get Truex into the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field. NASCAR took the unprecedented step of kicking Truex out of the Chase in favour of Ryan Newman, who would have made it into the field instead of Truex without MWRs meddling. MWR was also fined $300,000, general manager Ty Norris was suspended indefinitely and all three crew chiefs for its drivers were placed on probation for the rest of the year. The penalties levied against MWR led to a larger NASCAR investigation that uncovered at least one other case of race manipulation. NASCAR was then forced to expand the Chase field to 13 drivers to include Jeff Gordon and issue new rules banning digital radios and more than one team member per car on the spotter stand. NASCAR chairman Brian France also ordered all competitors to give 100 per cent at all times during a meeting in which it was made clear attempts to artificially alter the outcome of races would be prohibited. Waltrip apologized for the first time for MWRs actions at Richmond. "To the fans and those who made their voice heard through social media, as the owner, I am responsible for all actions of MWR," he said in a statement. "I sincerely apologize for the role our team played and for the lines NASCAR has ruled were crossed by our actions at Richmond. NASCAR met with the competitors in Chicago and we all know how we are expected to race." NAPAs decision will end a relationship with Waltrip that dates to 2001. NAPA was sponsor for Waltrip for both of his Daytona 500-winning cars and moved with him when he formed Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007. The company took over sponsorship of Truex when he joined MWR in 2010 and as Waltrips replacement. This is the second scandal NAPA has been through with Waltrip, who was found to have a fuel additive in his engine in his debut race, the 2007 Daytona 500. NASCAR docked the team 100 points, ejected crew chief David Hyder and executive Bobby Kennedy and fined Hyder $100,000 in one of the biggest cheating scandals ever at the Daytona 500. It was also Toyotas debut race. Waltrip had a miserable season that year, failing to qualify for 20 races with NAPA as his sponsor and nearly going bankrupt. He recovered, in large part, after MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman pumped in much-needed cash and brought stability and accountability to the organization. NAPA won four races with Waltrip, stayed on when Truex took over the car, and his victory this June at Sonoma was its first with him since he began driving the No. 56. Truex did qualify for the Chase with NAPA last season, finishing 11th in points, and was in contention for the final Chase wild card berth at Richmond while driving with a broken wrist. Michael Waltrip Racing said in a statement it respects NAPAs decision. "There is no doubt, the story of Michael Waltrip Racing begins with NAPA Auto Parts, but there are many more chapters yet to be written," the statement said. "MWR has the infrastructure and support of Toyota for three teams plus three Chase-caliber, race-winning drivers. With the support of our corporate partners we are preparing to field three teams in 2014. MWR is a resilient organization capable of winning races and competing for the championship and that remains our sole focus." Waltrip also credited NAPA for his success as a driver and team owner. "NAPA has been with me from winning two Daytona 500s, to missing races with a new start-up team, and back to Victory Lane again," he said. "The relationship grew far past that of just a sponsor, but more of a partner and a friend. We will not be racing a NAPA car in 2014, but I have friendships that will last a lifetime." The loss of a primary sponsor, particularly with only nine races left in the season, is a big blow to Waltrip. It will be a tremendous challenge to quickly replace the money because NAPA is a rare sponsor that covers the entire 36-race Sprint Cup schedule. Should MWR not secure sponsorship to replace NAPA, it could lead to layoffs of nearly 100 employees and the possible shuttering of Truexs team. Truex could be out of job, as well. One solution could be a partnership with Furniture Row Racing, which will lose its lone driver, Kurt Busch, after this season. Furniture Row tried during the summer to defect from Chevrolet to Toyota, only to learn Toyota didnt have the space to accommodate another team. An alliance with MWR could get Furniture Row in the Toyota family and be a potential landing spot for Truex, should Waltrip fail to figure out another solution to save his third car. MWR also fields cars for Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers, the two drivers who actively participated in the manipulations at Richmond to get Truex into the Chase. Bowyer spun with seven laps remaining to bring out a caution that prevented Newman from winning the race, and Vickers pitted late to benefit Truex. Frank Vatrano Panthers Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Henrik Borgstrom Panthers Jersey . As if he had been rehearsing it, Vasquez looked around with a grimacing stare as he clinched two fists and flexed his muscles. What do you think of DeMar DeRozans face after he hits a big shot, he was asked moments earlier. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline....ey-jersey/. - The Seattle Sounders busy off-season continues with the team acquiring defender Chad Marshall from the Columbus Crew in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick and allocation money. Aleksander Barkov Panthers Jersey . - Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors will coach the Western Conference in the All-Star Game on Feb. Colton Sceviour Panthers Jersey . The 26-year-old slider from Calgary posted a time of 50.464 seconds, 0.573 seconds back of leader Natalie Geisenberger. The German led the overall World Cup womens standings this season and continued her dominance by putting down a track record time of 49.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will aim to eliminate the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, as the clubs battle in Mondays Game 6 at Nationwide Arena. The Penguins, who are seeded second in the East, were tied at 2-2 with Columbus before gaining an edge in the best-of-seven series with Saturdays 3-1 victory in Pittsburgh. If Pittsburgh fails to wrap up the series tonight in Columbus, the clubs will play a decisive Game 7 in the Steel City on Wednesday. Columbus, which had never won a playoff contest before this series, has little margin for error in Game 6. Blue Jackets center Mark Letestu hopes facing elimination can bring the best out of his club. "I mean, if theyre going to push, what are we going to do?," Letestu said. "Its back in our building and our backs are against the wall. When there is adversity, this is the best that this team has played all year. I expect this first elimination game for everybody to play with their hair on fire." Columbus is 1-1 on home ice in this series, losing Game 3 to the Pens before rebounding with an overtime victory in the next encounter. The Blue Jackets are 1-3 all-time at Nationwide Arena in the postseason. The Blue Jackets had lost six straight home games against the Penguins before notching a victory in Game 4. Columbus and Pittsburgh were tied at 1-1 after 40 minutes on Saturday, but Jussi Jokinen scored the eventual game-winner at 6:16 of the third period. Kris Letang added an empty-netter with 1:01 left in regulation to seal the win for the Penguins and put them one victory away from advancing to the second round.dddddddddddd After a rough outing in Game 4, Pens goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury bounced back by making 23 saves for the win. Chris Kunitz had a goal and an assist in the victory. Sidney Crosby added an assist to give him five helpers in the series, but he has yet to score a goal. After his club grabbed a 3-2 lead on Saturday, the Pens captain talked about the difficulty of closing out a series. "We have to realize theyre going to be as desperate as theyve been," Crosby said of tonights Game 6 battle. "It doesnt get any easier. We know the fourth one is the toughest." Crosbys teammate Evgeni Malkin also has yet to score over the first five games, but he has four assists. Boone Jenner scored the one goal for Columbus on Saturday, while Sergei Bobrovsky single-handedly kept his team in the game with a 48-save loss. "It was one of those performances where you come into an opposing rink, thats a game that your goaltender can steal for you," Columbus head coach Todd Richards said. "We just werent able to do enough in the offensive zone." Columbus defensemen Fedor Tyutin and Ryan Murray each returned to the lineup after missing time with lower-body injuries. Tyutin missed the previous two games, while Murray was held out of Game 4. Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo made his NHL playoff debut in Game 5, replacing injured blueliner Brooks Orpik. Pittsburgh hasnt disclosed the specifics of Orpiks injury and he is questionable for tonight. ' ' '
MONTREAL -- For Montreal Canadiens and their rabid fans, its seventh heaven. In a fight for their playoff lives, the Montreal club pulled off a convincing 4-0 win against the Boston Bruins on Monday night to force a seventh and deciding game in their Stanley Cup playoff semifinal series. To hear their fanbase, a do-or-die Game 6 win against their hated rivals from Boston was never in doubt. "Incredible! The Habs are the best, did you see that win?," yelled Andrew Giannakis, breathlessly, as he emerged from the arena. "They scored the first goal and the rest is history." As with Monday night, Montreal is faced with a must-win situation in 48 hours if it wants to continue being the only Canadian team in the NHL playoffs this year. Some, likes Charles Mondon, can feel the playoff fever in the air. "I dont think there is no better place to cheer for hockey than Montreal," said Mondon, sporting a Max Pacioretty jersey as he smoked a cigarette outside the arena. "No disrespect to the rest of Canada ... here in Montreal, we bleed hockey, we breath hockey, we eat hockey, we sleep hockey." Mondon predicts a close contest on Wednesday night -- a three-goal game that could really go either way. "To be honest with you, Game 7 against Boston for round two is the best feeling in the world," Mondon said. "I think were going to beat them." Montreal and Boston is considered one of the greatest rivalry in sports, and that battle is playing out again this post-season. The Canadiens and Bruins have met a whopping 34 times in the NHL playoffs, with the Canadiens having won 24 of those series. Things have been different in recent years -- the Bruins have taken the last two series in 2009 and 2011. But fans are hoping for a reversal of fortunes, like Devon Pattemore of Yorkton, Sask., a lifelong Habs fan who finds herself in Montreal for a conference during a playoff run. Sporting a well-worn Saku Koivu jersey, she came out to watch the third period outside the Bell Centre with a few hundred other fans who peered into a restaurants giant screen from outside the eatery. "Theyre just a faster team and I just believe in them," said Pattemore, predicting a Montreal Game 7 victory. "On Wednesday night well be at a pub (in town) watching." The last time the Canadiens beat the Bruins in the playoffs was in 2008 and it was largely overshadowed by what happened once the game was done. A thrilling, emotionally charged seventh game win ended with smashed windows, tear gas and arrests. Police cars were set ablaze and stores looted when a festive celebration turned ugly. But in a city known for its hockey-related rioting, security has not been an issue so far in these playoffs. There was a heavy police presence downtown on Monday night, but few revellers made it up to the downtown core. Clusters of officers were gathered at every street corner and in front of storefronts that might be susceptible to looting. Security guards hired by some businesses milled about and there were no large gatherings on a crisp May evening. And by the end of the night, Montreal police reported no major incidents. Kevin Shattenkirk Rangers Jersey . The Cavaliers first-year forward will miss at least three weeks with a strained left knee, the latest setback for the No. Henrik Lundqvist Rangers Jersey . Behind the talents of rookie Johnny Gaudreau, the Flames will look to keep pace Thursday night when they face the Minnesota Wild in the second of a six-game homestand. http://www.rangershockeyonlineshop.com/e...ey-jersey/. - The Carolina Panthers believe Steve Smith lost "top-end" speed, a big reason the franchise parted ways with its all-time leading receiver. New York Rangers Jerseys . It was a day that saw England slump off a World Cup field once again battered and bruised. This time there was no red card to wonder about, no goalkeeping error or individual mistake. They were thoroughly beaten by something they have nothing of – genuine world class ability. Mike Gartner Rangers Jersey . The team said they will announce a corresponding roster move prior to their series opener on Tuesday night in Kansas City. ST. LOUIS -- Down four regulars, the Milwaukee Brewers kept right on rolling. Lyle Overbay fouled off two bunt attempts, then singled in Khris Davis with the tiebreaking run and the Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals in extra innings for the second straight night, winning 5-4 in 11 innings Tuesday. "Were a team thats going to grind it out. We dont give in, we dont give up at-bats," said Milwaukee starter Kyle Lohse, a former Cardinal. "I dont really look at the big picture. Were just trying to win as many games, rack up the wins and keep piling them on." Davis hit a go-ahead triple to help the Brewers win 5-3 in 12 innings Monday night and started the winning rally this time with a leadoff double against Kevin Siegrist (0-1). "With two strikes, obviously Im just trying to get him over to third base any way I can," said Overbay, who is 10 for 19 during an eight-game hitting streak. "That was a mistake, finally. The pitch that I hit up the middle, I dont know what he was trying to do with it." Milwaukee is a major league-best 20-7, two more victories than the previous franchise best for the opening month, and 11-1 on the road. Milwaukees lineup featured light-swinging Scooter Gennett batting third. Ryan Braun and Jean Segura didnt start for the third straight game, Aramis Ramirez had a swollen elbow from getting hit by a pitch, and catcher Jonathan Lucroy got a scheduled day off that manager Ron Roenicke elected not to reschedule. The Brewers makeshift lineup managed just enough offence to beat the Cardinals again. "Were playing great and well enjoy it as long as we can, but its not going to last the whole season," Roenicke said. "But again, were doing things right." Carlos Gomez homered and Lohse had a two-run single for the Brewers, who have won five of six. Tyler Thornburg (3-0) struck out four in two scoreless innings and Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 13th save in 13 chances. Yadier Molina hit a three-run homer in the first and Allen Craigs RBI triple tied it in the seventh for the Cardinals, who have lost tthree of four.dddddddddddd "Its April," said Matt Adams, who opened with two hits but struck out his last three trips. "Were not happy that were not winning right now but were going to continue to show up every day ready to compete. "Things are going to turn around in our favour." The Brewers are 4-1 in extra innings and the Cardinals are 0-3. St. Louis 3-0 in both games in this series. "Not as good as I should have been, plain and simple," Cardinals starter Lance Lynn said. "You get three runs in the first, you win that game." Molina had been 1 for 13 with runners and scoring position and two outs before depositing a belt-high 1-1 fastball into the first row of seats in left-centre. It was the first homer off Lohse since he gave up two in his first start of the season, and Molinas fourth overall. Lohse followed with five scoreless innings and matched his season best with nine strikeouts, plus a two-run single to cap a three-run fourth against Lance Lynn to tie it. "I fouled off a couple below the label and I think the one I hit was below the label as well," Lohse said. "He kept coming with fastballs, kind of did me a favour." Gomez homered in the seventh against Tyler Lyons, in his second inning of relief. Lyons had been listed as the starter Friday at Chicago against the Cubs, but the Cardinals have a day off Thursday and could use ace Adam Wainwright on regular rest. NOTES: Shelby Miller is 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA in six career starts against the Brewers entering the series finale. Milwaukee starter Matt Garza (1-2, 4.09 ERA) is 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA in three starts in St. Louis. ... Two rehabbing Cardinals pitchers, Jaime Garcia and Jason Motte, are getting closer to returning. Garcia (shoulder surgery) is scheduled to make his first start Sunday for Double-A Springfield and the team said Motte (elbow) is likely to join that team this weekend. ... Segura pinch-hit in the ninth and was thrown out trying for a bunt hit. ... The Brewers are 36-36 at 9-year-old Busch Stadium, one of only three NL teams that are .500 or better. ' ' '
Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been suspended for the next two games for slew-footing New York Rangers forward Derick Brassard during Bostons 3-0 victory Thursday night. Marchand slew footed Matt Niskanen of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2011 and was fined $2,500. Archie Bradley Jersey . Pistorius mindset when he stood on his stumps in a bathroom and pulled the trigger on his 9 mm pistol in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013 remains the crux of the South African trial that has captured worldwide attention and is about to start its seventh week of globally televised proceedings. It was initially scheduled to run for three weeks. Adam Jones Diamondbacks Jersey .com) - A top-10 showdown is on tap in at the McKale Center on Saturday, as the 10th-ranked Arizona Wildcats play host to the eighth-ranked Utah Utes in a key Pac-12 matchup. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondb...er-jersey/. - Even with a new coach, the Denver Nuggets still love to push the basketball. Eduardo Escobar Jersey .com) - Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson lost an appeal to have his indefinite suspension overturned, the NFL announced Friday. Zack Greinke Jersey . The Calgary Stampeders announced both moves on Wednesday. Parker played 17 regular season games with the Stampeders in 2013, setting career-highs in catches (21) and yards (217).Milwaukee, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - Markieff Morris finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns opened a four-game road trip on a winning note with a 102-96 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Isaiah Thomas donated 19 points off the bench, Goran Dragic added 16 and the Suns won their third straight despite turning it over 20 times. Brandon Knight paced the Bucks with 26 points, and Giannis Antetokounmpo totaled 16 with 12 rebounds in Milwaukees fourth straight home loss. Final Score: Detroit 105, San Antonio 104 San Antonio, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Brandon Jennings raced down the couurt following a San Antonio turnover and made the game-winning shot with 0.dddddddddddd1 seconds left, lifting the red-hot Detroit Pistons over the Spurs, 105-104, on Tuesday. The Spurs left the door open after going 4-of-8 from the foul line over the final 1:52. Jennings ended with 13 points and seven assists for the Pistons, who have won six in a row. Jeff Ayres finished with 16 points for the Spurs, who had a brief two-game winning streak snapped. San Antonio point guard Tony Parker played just 13 minutes in his return from a five-game absence due to a hamstring injury. He ended with three points. ' ' '
NEW YORK -- The Rangers clutch victory over the Stanley Cup champions earlier this week would have lost a lot of lustre if New York couldnt back it up against the struggling Dallas Stars. The Rangers needed 58 minutes to get ahead -- and then spent the final two holding on. Rick Nash snapped a tie with 1:58 left, and the Rangers sent the Stars to their fifth straight loss, 3-2 on Friday night. New York is 7-2-1 in its last 10, but more importantly, the Rangers followed up their stirring win at Chicago on Wednesday with another one at home. "We talked about it this morning," said Henrik Lundqvist, who made 24 saves to earn his second straight win. "Its always a great feeling when you come up big in the end of a game." Nash poked a rebound of Chris Kreiders shot past goalie Kari Lehtonen to give New York its first lead. Nash has 10 goals this season and three in three games. "I think it was 50 per cent luck ... well, probably 70 per cent luck and 30 per cent skill," Nash said of his 50th game-winner. "I was just following the puck. It went a little bit higher than anticipated, but luckily it went in." Ryan Callahan and Derick Brassard both erased one-goal Rangers deficits, and Brad Richards had two assists to extend his point streak to four games (two goals, four assists). Ryan Garbutt and Cody Eakin both had a goal and assist, but the Stars remained winless in 2014. Lehtonen stopped 31 shots for Dallas, which went 0-3 on its three-game trip through the New York metropolitan area. "I thought we skated better," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "I thought we created a little bit more and I thought we were better with the puck. We still have a ways to go, though." After being shut out for the first time this season in a 1-0 loss at New Jersey on Thursday, the Stars got their offence on track early -- grabbing the lead 4:06 in on Eakins ninth goal. Garbutt outraced Rangers defenceman Marc Staal to a loose puck deep in the New York end and sent a pass back to Eakin in the right circle. Eakin let go a shot that Lundqvist blocked with his arm, but couldnt control as it found its way in. Dallas had the lead despite being outshot 8-3 at the time in the sluggish first period that featured multiple icings and frequent faceoffs. New York tied it with 8:40 left in the period on Callahans eighth of the season and first in five games since the Rangers captain returned from a nine-game absence caused by a sprained knee ligament. Benoit Pouliot kept the puck in the Dallas zone at the right point and got it to Richards, who took a shot. Richards got to his rebound and moved the puck to his right to the streaking Callahan, who snapped in a drive as he was flying to the ice. Dallas regained the lead 3:34 into the second on Garbutts eighth goal. Antoine Roussel sent a pass that Garbutt knocked down with the shaft of his stick. He then jammed the puck between Lundqvists pads. However, the Rangers tied it 2-2 just 4:48 later when Brassard scored a power-play goal on the games first advantage. Mats Zuccarello sent a hard shot from above the right circle into the slot where Brassard deflected it past Lehtonen for his seventh of the season and fifth on the power play. "I didnt do much. I just shot it. All the credit to him," Zuccarello said of Brassard. "If its there, its there. If its not there, its not there. "I just shot it. He made a really nice tip. Its a skill play by him." The Rangers, who swept the two-game season series from Dallas, have scored a power-play goal in nine of the past 12 games. "When a power play works, it keeps the other team honest because they dont want to see the power play on the ice," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "Our power play has been working real well for us. Its been giving us momentum, its been giving us timely goals." New York had other scoring chances in the second, including several scrums in front of the net, but couldnt convert. Nash shot wide on a breakaway, and Richards struck the crossbar with a drive. NOTES: Callahan had an assist in each of his previous three games. ... Stars D Aaron Rome returned after missing two games with an upper-body injury. ... Garbutt has three goals in his last eight games. ... Dallas received its only power play in the third period. ... Rangers C J.T. Miller, scratched for the second straight game, is going down to Hartford of the AHL. Fjallraven Kanken Classic Ox Red/Royal Blue Backpack . Patty Mills scored 15 points, Tim Duncan had 10 points and 11 rebounds in limited minutes, and San Antonio trailed for only 11 seconds late in the first quarter of a 103-90 victory over Portland on Wednesday night. Kanken Classic Backpack Sale . General manager David Poile called signing Ribeiro a great opportunity to add a talented, experienced and creative centre Tuesday when he introduced the veteran at a news conference. Ribeiros contract is worth $1.05 million after being bought out of the final three years of a $22 million contract by the Coyotes recently. http://www.cheapkankenbackpack.com/cheap...green.html. Next up, the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns in the AFC North. Baltimore Ravens In 2014, the 8-8 season that the Baltimore Ravens experienced was to be expected. Fjallraven Kanken Mini Backpack Pink . But unfortunately for the Niagara Falls, Ont., native, a pulled muscle wouldnt allow him to go past the second set. Japan sealed its victory over Canada in the first-round Davis Cup tie after Nishikori downed an ailing Dancevic 6-2, 1-0. Cheap Kanken Backpacks For Sale . Starting from pole, the 26-year-old Vettel turned in a trademark clinical performance to win the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday and join F1 greats Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as just the third driver to win four consecutive championships.They took away her ‘C, but they didnt take away her heart. Hayley Wickenheiser, the greatest womens hockey player ever, stole the show as Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in a thrilling nail-biter preliminary game in Sochi Wednesday. Wickenheiser set up Canadas first goal of the game on a nifty pass to Meghan Agosta-Marciano and then scored her second goal of the 2014 Winter Olympics – the 18th of her Olympic career. Not only that, the 35-year-old Wickenheiser played a strong defensive game, too, shutting down Team USAs top scorers. It is no coincidence that in the dying seconds of the game, with the United States on the power play and its goalie on the bench in favour of an extra skater, Wickenheiser was one of the four Canadian skaters on the ice in pure defensive mode. The victory for Canada means it avoids a tough semifinal matchup against the pesky Finnish squad. Canada defeated Finland 3-0 earlier in the tournament, but didnt score until 9:27 of the third period. The Finns are capable of pulling off an upset in this years Olympics. Wickenheiser, a two-time Olympic MVP, had been the captain of the Canadas national team, but it was announced by Hockey Canada prior to the Olympics that Caroline Ouellette would be the captain in Sochi. Wickenheiser was named an alternate captain. There had even been some chatter leading up to the Games she might be cut from the team. Given how well she has played in Sochi, that would have been a dreadful mistake. Its a team game For Wickenheiser, it is all about the team. “Were so close,” she said of the bitter rivalry with the United States. “Sometimes it just comes down to the team that gets a break or has more energy. I liked the energy level and determination in our game [today].” On snapping the four-game losing streak to Team USA, Wickenheiser said, “Its a confidence booster. [Coach] Kevin Dineen has had some time to prepare for this game. He also needed time to get to know the players in our room; the strengths and weaknesses. We have all the confidence in him.” So, with the victory over the United States, is it advantage Canada moving into the medal round? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Bragging rights Certainly Canada has bragging rights following its win over Team USA. However, history has shown what happens leading up to the Games doesnt necessarily have anything to do with who wins the gold medal. In 2002, Team USA had beaten Canada 10 times in a row, but the Canadians shocked the Americans with a 3-2 victory in the gold-medal game at Salt Lake City. It is also worth noting prior to the last tthree Olympic Games, the United States won the world championship only to have Canada rebound to take gold at the Olympics.dddddddddddd The United States certainly had a mental edge over Canada entering the game – the first time the teams had met in the preliminary round since 1998 – thanks to four straight victories over their rivals in a six-game exhibition series leading up to the Olympic Games. In 1998 in Nagano, Japan, Team USA beat Canada 7-4 in the preliminary round and 3-1 in the gold-medal game. At the very least, Canada now knows it can skate with and beat the powerful United States club. Doing it twice in a row will not be easy. “It felt so good,” said winning goalie Charline Labonte. “We have been struggling a bit the past couple of games against them. We have worked really hard to readjust and become a better team. They came out really strong, as expected, so I am really glad we came up with the win.” American scoring ace Amanda Kessel was understandably dissatisfied with the final result. "It hurts," Kessel said. "Every game matters. They didnt get to see how we can play." A lot has been made of the fact the two teams have an intense dislike for one another – as indicated by the two line brawls in the final few exhibition games leading up to the Olympics – and it was fully on display in Wednesdays preliminary match. Despite the fact bodychecking is illegal in womens hockey, players from both teams rode that fine line between handing out jarring hits, just hard and incidental enough so as not to cause Finnish referee Anna Eskola to penalize them. In that regard, Eskola did a fine job in allowing the game to be physical without getting goofy. "Both teams were aggressive," said American forward Hilary Knight. Youll get our top game when we play one another and thats a great thing. We are both good teams and we are competitive." Canada matched USAs speed and demonstrated a penchant for driving hard to the net from start to finish. If there was a concern for Canada it was the ineffectiveness of its power play. Canada entered the third period a mere 1-for-10 with the man advantage throughout the tournament. It was zero-for-three in the first 40 minutes. However, Agosta-Marciano accepted a perfectly-placed pass from Wickenheiser and scored with Americas Brianna Decker in the penalty box to tie the game 1-1 with a much-needed power-play marker. Decker had been sent off for tripping Wickenheiser. The quarter-finals will be played Saturday and Canada will play in the semifinal Monday. ' ' '
NEW YORK -- The NBA has fined Indianas Lance Stephenson $5,000 for flopping in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. Stephenson was chasing Miamis LeBron James as James dribbled up the court in the third quarter of Tuesdays game. Stephenson lightly bumped into James, then fell backward to the court as if it had been a real collision. Stephenson was also fined in last years series against the Heat, the first year the NBA began penalizing players for the act of exaggerating contact to fool referees into calling fouls. A video of the play was available Wednesday at nba.com/video. Liverpool Jersey Sale Uk . After not scoring 40 points in the opening quarter in the last five seasons, the Rockets have done it five times this season and twice in the last three games. Virgil Liverpool Shirt . Dallas also Monday recalled defenceman Aaron Rome from his conditioning assignment with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League and assigned goaltender Jack Campbell to the AHL squad. http://www.liverpoolshoponlineuk.com/kei...shirt.html. - Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard has signed with WME-IMG, saying the sports management powerhouse will help maximize the value of my brand. Georginio Wijnaldum Jersey . Ramon, 30, played in a career-high 97 games with the Goldeyes in 2013. He also matched a career-high eight home runs and posted 52 RBI. Milner Liverpool Shirt . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night.CARDIFF -- Wales gave a two-time defending champions response to a demoralizing defeat by whipping France 27-6 and keeping its Six Nations title defence alive on Friday. So shaken to the core was Wales by its 26-3 demolition from Ireland, the only unbeaten team left in the championship, that coach Warren Gatland warned his British Lions-laden side that careers were on the line under the Millennium Stadium roof. The players answer was a robust performance of power, pace and poise, adding up to a third straight win over France last achieved 42 years ago. "That was the response we were looking for," captain Sam Warburton said. "We knew we had it in us." He admitted playing for their jobs was also an incentive. "We said in the week that we dont want to take our places for granted. We have probably worked our hardest in the last two weeks," he said. Stand-in centre George North scored after five minutes and fullback Leigh Halfpennys boot punished frequent French errors and a second-rate scrum with five penalties that propped up a 20-6 halftime lead. When Warburton reached out to plant the ball on the line in the 64th, the score became Wales biggest win over France at home since 1950. That margin will be vital in terms of points difference in the standings if Wales, which jumped over previously unbeaten France into second place, can stay on track and Ireland lose somewhere. The Irish are at Twickenham on Saturday. Wales performance wasnt assured beforehand, certainly not after lock Alun-Wyn Jones, who captained the Lions in their series-clinching win in Australia last year, withdrew just before the match with a foot injury. That gave a second Welshman, Jake Ball, his first test start beside scrumhalf Rhys Webb, whose zippy pass was a big factor in Wales frantic start. Five minutes in, lineout ball was spread left and inside centre Jamie Roberts drew two defenders. North gave Halfpenny an overlap and he chipped ahead. France fullback Bruce Dulin claimed the ball just before the tryline, but he was accidentally clipped in the head by teammate Jean-Marc Doussain and dropped the ball, which North pounced on in goal.dddddddddddd Halfpenny couldnt convert. He seemed to kick only the hardest goalkicks, and France kept giving him chances, especially from a scrum that Wales eventually got on top of. Captain Pascal Pape conceded the second penalty from a ruck, and tighthead prop Nicolas Mas the third for slipping in a scrum. Wesley Fofana was milked by North in a ruck for Halfpennys fourth, and a tighthead conceded just before halftime ended up giving Halfpenny his fifth penalty. Moments before then, referee Alain Rolland told both captains the scrum was a mess and threatened to dish out cards. He upheld his promise in the 50th, sin-binning Mas and counterpart Gethin Jenkins. By then, Wales was in charge and the outmuscled French had few options. "It was a catastrophic first half, our discipline was poor, and we gave away too many penalties," France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said. "We were totally apathetic in the first half." Dulin said, "They got on top of us very quickly and we couldnt pull ourselves together. We didnt go about things the right way. "We didnt start the game well and they just gained in confidence. After their match against Ireland they really wanted to put their foot down." France had a try rightfully disallowed early in the first half for a knockon, but the backs received no ball and didnt go close again until the 50th, when centre Mathieu Bastareaud slipped North and was stopped just short of the tryline, and couldnt offload to Dulin or winger Hugo Bonneval. The French backs were more involved in the second half, but Wales defence was smothering. Frustrated No. 8 Louis Picamoles got himself sin-binned in the 62nd and Wales took advantage. From a Roberts barging run up the middle, Warburton charged off a ruck and just managed in a double tackle with an outstretched arm to put the ball on the line. With 10 minutes to go, Wales substituted Adam Jones and Jenkins, Ball, Dan Lydiate, Webb, Rhys Priestland and Halfpenny, and all were cheered off as returning heroes deserve to be. ' ' '
Then, just minutes later the Leafs appear to tie the game at 2-2. However, after review it became clear Kadri kicked the puck in. The bad news, the goal didnt count. The good news is, according to Twitter, Kadri is being recruited by the Toronto FC. BREAKING: Toronto FC signs Striker, Nazim Kadri — Nick Falcetta (@FalzieCheese) March 19, 2014 Maybe if Kadri remembered he wasnt playing for Toronto FC this game would be tied not 3-1 — Aaron Greenfield (@Greeny_snipes) March 19, 2014You cant do that. Swell Kopen Nederland . The two-time Olympic halfpipe gold medallist informed ESPN on Monday he plans to compete in Apsen, Colo. Swell Waterfles Nederland . This weeks topics include his take on the Kevin Pillar incident, All-Star snubs, the firing of Padres general manager Josh Byrnes and more. http://www.swellnederlandkopen.com/. Woods said Friday that his charity event, which attracts a world-class field even without being part of any tour, will move in December 2014 to Isleworth, the course where he honed his professional game from 1996 until moving away to south Florida two years ago. Swell Waterfles .J. -- Kevin Gilbride retired Thursday as offensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants. Swell Bottle Bestellen . The four-time Grand Slam champion has beaten Hantuchova nine straight times, with the Slovaks only win coming when they first played 10 years ago. "I had a tough first opponent who can play extremely good tennis," Sharapova said. CHICAGO -- Fred VanVleet scored 22 points on perfect shooting and No. 3 Wichita State beat Loyola of Chicago 88-74 on Wednesday night to remain the only unbeaten team in major college basketball. Wichita State and top-ranked Syracuse began the day as the last Division I schools with perfect records. But the Orange lost 62-59 to Boston College in overtime, and the Shockers used an 11-2 run early in the second half to help close out the Ramblers. Cleanthony Early scored 18 points as Wichita State became the 19th school to begin a season with 28 straight victories. VanVleet was 6 for 6 from the field and made each of his 10 free throws. The Shockers (28-0, 15-0) can clinch the Missouri Valley Conference title with a victory at home against Drake on Saturday night. Milton Doyle scored 18 points and Jeff White had 14 for Loyola (9-18, 4-11), which has lost three straight and six of seven. Devon Turk finished with 13 points. Boosted by a capacity crowd at cozy Gentile Arena, the Ramblers battled back each time the Shockers tried to pull away in their first visit to Loyolas campus on the north side of Chicago since a 79-77 win on Feb. 9, 1976. It was just the third visit by a top-5 team to the Ramblers current home, joining No. 2 Michigan State in 2000 and No. 5 Kansas State in 2010. But every time Wichita State got a little push from Loyola, it just went back to its versatile grooup of athletic big men.dddddddddddd The Shockers had a 41-24 rebounding advantage and went 31 for 34 from the free throw line, compared to 11 of 14 for Loyola. Chadrack Lufile had consecutive three-point plays to help Wichita State open a 52-36 lead with 15:43 to go. When the Ramblers pulled within 11 with 5 1/2 minutes left, Early made two foul shots and a 3-pointer to reach 1,000 career points and run the advantage back out to 16. Darius Carter added 13 points for Wichita State, which can close out a perfect regular season with three more wins. After the visit by the Bulldogs, the Shockers travel to Bradley before returning home for a tricky little finale against Missouri State. Wichita State trailed the Bears by 18 at halftime on Jan. 11, then rallied for a 72-69 overtime win. Early made each of his first three shots and had eight points when he picked up his second foul with 8:24 left in the first half, sending the senior star to the bench. Wichita State extended its lead to 35-24 before the Ramblers began to take advantage of Earlys absence inside. White drove for a three-point play and Christian Thomas had a basket and free throw to help Loyola pull within five with 1:28 remaining. Carter responded with a strong layup on the other end and Matt OLeary missed two 3s for Loyola in the final 42 seconds, leaving the Shockers with a 39-32 lead at the break. ' ' '
(SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of teams that have gone in opposite directions in December will meet Wednesday, as the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Minnesota Wild in a New Years Eve battle at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets entered this month with a 6-15-2 record on the season, but Todd Richards club has greatly improved its fortunes by posting a 9-1-1 mark so far in December. Despite the surge, Columbus still finds itself nine points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Minnesota, meanwhile, sits five points removed from the Wests final wild card spot after recording a 4-4-3 mark since the start of December. The low point of the rough month came during a 0-2-3 losing streak, a skid the Wild was able to snap with Mondays road victory in Winnipeg. After dropping the home part of a home-and-home series with the Jets in Saturdays 4-3 overtime loss, the Wild answered with a close win two days later in Winnipeg. Ryan Carter, Justin Fontaine and Marco Scandella all scored in the second period to help Minnesota notch the 3-2 decision at MTS Centre. Darcy Kuemper. who missed the opener of the home-and-home due to an illness, was back between the pipes Monday and helped stopped the skid with a 28-save performance. The Wild picked up the victory despite allowing Winnipeg to score twice on three chances with the man advantage. Minnesota went 0-for-4 on the power play. Our guys did a great job staying with it. Im real happy with the way we played the game, the contributions from everybody, Wild head coach Mike Yeo said. The win pushed Minnesotas road record this season to 8-9-0. Yeos club is capping a brief two-game trip tonight before opening the 2015 calendar year by playing four of five games on home ice. The Blue Jackets are 2-1-1 at the start of a five-game homestand after beginning December on a seven-game winning streak. The club had an 8-0-1 point streak snapped with a 5-1 loss to Nashville on Dec. 22, but rebounded from that setback with a resounding win its first tilt following the Christmas break. Columbus emerged from the holiday hiatus on Saturday and recorded a 6-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Scott Hartnell led the offense by scoring twice in his return from injury, while Kevin Connauton added a goal and two assists. Hartnell came back after a five-game absence due to a broken finger and picked up his third multi-goal effort of the season and first since Nov. 8 against Tampa Bay. He scored his teams first two goals on Saturday. Nick Foligno, Matt Calvert and Jeremy Morin also lit the lamp for the Blue Jackets. Jack Johnson and Brandon Dubinsky each chipped in a pair of helpers to back a 26-save effort from Curtis McElhinney. He made some big saves ... especially at the start of the third period, Calvert said of McElhinney. McElhinney started Saturday in place of No. 1 netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, who was unable to suit up for the game due to an illness. However, Bobrovsky is expected to start tonight and owns a 3-1-0 record and 1.68 goals against average in four career games against the Wild. Saturdays win pushed the Blue Jackets home record to 8-9-2. Columbus will head out on the road after tonight, as it will begin a four-game swing Saturday in Arizona. Columbus has won three straight and five of the last seven meetings against the Wild. The clubs have split the last four encounters at Nationwide Arena. Chad Ruhwedel Jersey .C. -- Marcus Paige and his North Carolina teammates have endured so many wild swings -- big wins, surprising losses, NCAA drama -- that no one can blame their Hall of Fame coach for wondering whats next. Chad Ruhwedel Penguins Jersey . Henderson (20-3) received winning scores of 48-47 and 49-46, and the other judge scored it 48-47 for Thomson (20-6). The announcement drew boos from the United Center crowd. "Train this hard for this long, its such a long camp and I see my title shot disappear," said Thomson, who fought most of the fight with a broken right hand. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com...gr-jersey/. - Defensive end-linebacker Mike Neal apparently is returning to the Packers. Jaromir Jagr Penguins Jersey . Fielder has been out with a herniated disk in his neck, and surgery was recommended after a follow-up exam and another scan Thursday with Dr. Justin Schultz Penguins Jersey . "Im proud of him," Jones said in an interview from Sacramento, site of the UFCs weekend televised card. "I think hes listening to his body and hes doing what makes him happy and thats what life is about ultimately.Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Semyon Varlamov posted 23 saves for his fourth shutout of the season to lead the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators. Maxime Talbot, Gabriel Landesskog and Jarome Iginla scored for the Avalanche, who had lost three of four coming into the game.dddddddddddd Marek Mazanec made 25 saves for the Predators, who have dropped four of their last five. ' ' '
STUTTGART, Germany -- German cruiserweight Marco Huck stopped compatriot Firat Arslan in the sixth round of their rematch to successfully retain his WBO belt on Saturday for the 12th time. Huck upped the tempo after an evenly fought opening five rounds, twice knocking the 43-year-old Arslan to the canvas. American referee Mark Nelson stopped the bout 1 minute, 56 seconds into the round when he saw the southpaw had no answer in the corner. Huck had been landing the better punches and was clearly motivated by the criticism he received following his unanimous decision win over Arslan in November 2012, when many felt the former WBA champion had done more than enough to beat a man 15 years younger. Huck improved to 37-2-1 (26 KOs) while Arslan dropped to 33-7-2 (21 KOs). Cheap Jordans Shoes Free Shipping . The team let Keaton Ellerby, James Wright and Matt Halischuk become unrestricted free agents after declining to make them qualifying offers. Ellerby, 25, appeared in 51 games for the Jets last season and had two goals and four assists. Wholesale Authentic Jordans . has left the San Jose Sharks to become the Boston Bruins director of player personnel. http://www.cheapairjordanfreeshipping.com/. Granato was an assistant for the Pittsburgh Penguins for the last five seasons, and he was also part of Team USAs staff at the 2014 Olympics. Wholesale Jordans . They started shooting the puck. Joe Pavelski had a hat trick to move into a tie for second in the NHL in goals and the Sharks beat Philadelphia 7-3 Thursday night in the first game for both teams following the Olympic break. Cheap Jordans For Sale .Y. - For once, Clayton Kershaw was glad to see a long shutout streak end.MIAMI -- The Miami Marlins rewarded their manager with the best possible birthday gift. Casey McGehee hit a sharp grounder that caromed into right field off the back of reliever Gonzalez Germens foot, allowing the winning run to score, and the Miami Marlins rallied late from a three-run deficit Monday night to beat the New York Mets 4-3. "I didnt get (gifts) but Ill take the win," said Miami manager Mike Redmond, who turned 43. "The presents stopped coming about five, six years ago." Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a tying double in the eighth off Daisuke Matsuzaka, who failed to retire any of the five batters he faced in relief of Jonathon Niese. Giancarlo Stanton had an RBI single and the Marlins scored another run on shortstop Omar Quintanillas fielding error in the eighth. Christian Yelich led off the ninth with a single off Scott Rice (0-1). He advanced to second on Ed Lucas sacrifice. Germen intentionally walked Giancarlo Stanton before McGehee got his RBI single. "Everybody kind of knew they were going to walk Stanton there," McGehee. "I just tried to have a good at-bat. I was able to get a ball to hit hard." Marlins closer Steve Cishek (2-1) pitched to a scoreless ninth for the win. Miami is now 15-5 at home and 6-1 in its current nine-game homestand. The Marlins have won two in a row in their final at-bat. Christian Yelich and Ed Lucas led off the eighth with walks. Stanton followed with an RBI single and Quintanilla let McGehee get through his legs, allowing Lucas to score. Saltalamacchia doubled to right-centre to make it 3-all. "Any time you can get on the board and you can get into a position that you can tie the ball game, I felt good," Saltalamacchia said. "Ive caught Daisuke before so I have seen his stuff. I was pretty comfortable up there. I was able to get decent wood in it." Kyle Farnsworth relieved Matsuzaka and with the infield drawn in retired Jeff Baker on a grounder to second. Farnsworth walked pinch-hitter Garret Jones and struck out Adeiny Hechavarria and retired Marcel Ozuna on a grounder to third. "When I was warming up in the bullpen, I was struggling with my command," Matsuzaka said throughh an interpreter.dddddddddddd"I tried to focus on the batter and getting outs. I really regret taking away Nieses win the teams win." Niese pitched seven shutout innings and allowed five hits, struck out six and walked one but was replaced after throwing 108 pitches. Niese has permitted one run or less in his last four starts. "Anytime a game is lost, its tough to watch," Niese said. "But its just one game. I never want to leave a game but 108 pitches, I figured our bullpen has been doing great." Daniel Murphy and Curtis Granderson homered off Miamis Nathan Eovaldi in the first inning for 2-0 lead. Murphys shot over the fence in right field was his first of the season and Granderson hit his third with a drive that bounced off the upper deck in right-centre field. Bobby Abreu had a sacrifice fly to left, scoring David Wright in the fourth. Wright led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on Grandesons single. Eovaldi scattered five hits, walked one and struck out a career-high 10 in seven innings. "The Marlins have been hot, especially in this park and late," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "They can be really tough." Eric Young Jr. returned to the lineup and went 1 for 4 after a freakish pregame injury Sunday. Young was struck on the right cheek off a batted ball from Lucas Duda that bounced off an indoor batting cage. Although he passed concussion tests, Young said he felt dizzy and manager Terry Collins sat him out of the series finale against the Rockies. Marlins starter Jose Fernandez said his left thigh feels fine and he will make his next start after being struck by a one-hopper off the bat of Dee Gordon in the fifth inning of Miamis 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday. Fernandez went 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA in April, earning his first NL Pitcher of the Month award. NOTES: The Mets scored in the first inning for the fourth consecutive game. ... Young made a diving catch to rob Giancarlo Stanton of a base hit in the seventh. ... The roof at Marlins Park was opened for the seventh time this season. ... Henderson Alvarez (1-2, 3.28) is scheduled to start Tuesday for Miami against the New York Mets Bartolo Colon (2-4, 5.65). ' ' '
SAN ANTONIO -- Alan Pulido scored a hat trick to lead Mexico to a 4-0 victory over South Korea in an international friendly Wednesday. Oribe Peralta also scored for Mexico, which led 2-0 at the halftime. Pulido slammed home a rebound goal during stoppage time in the first half and added two more late in the game to the delight of the pro-Mexico crowd. Chris Lindstrom Jersey . -- Jerome Verrier scored once and set up two more as the Drummondville Voltigeurs downed the visiting Chicoutimi Sagueneens 5-1 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play. Custom Atlanta Falcons Jerseys .Manager Brendan Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo on Friday that Sturridge pulled his calf muscle in training as he prepared to return from a five-week layoff due to a thigh strain. http://www.falconsrookiestore.com/Falcon...ry-Jersey/. A day after FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said three stadiums would not be ready in time for the Dec. 31 deadline, Brazilian officials said they actually plan to deliver all six remaining venues after that date. They claim only three are delayed, with the other three being handed over after the expected date only because of problems accommodating the schedule of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who wants to be present for the ceremonies. Takkarist McKinley Jersey . A rainy day saw the former champion Djokovic handle 14th-seeded Frenchman Jo- Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) under the roof on the famed Centre Court. Julio Jones Youth Jersey . - The fiancee of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez is set to ask a judge to throw out allegations that she lied to a grand jury.From John Ferguson Jr. to Cliff Fletcher (part II) to Brian Burke to Dave Nonis, the annual free agent frenzy has been nothing short of a recurring nightmare for Maple Leaf general managers (recent) past and present. Each and every July 1st signing has brought with it excitement and all too large expectations only to fizzle into one pricey disappointment after another. Now helming another rebuild in Calgary, Burke often described the day in disastrous terms for the NHLs management community, decrying the slew of exorbitant contracts with "unrealistic values and unrealistic term…that bite you right in the butt at some point". Value, all too important under the confines of a cap system and best found in homegrown products, is never harder to find than on July 1st – a day that sees the contracts get larger and sillier with each passing year. It began in earnest for the Leafs shortly after the outset of the cap era in the summer of 2006. John Ferguson Jr., fighting for a job that would soon run its course, plugged two holes on the Toronto defence that July with a pair of expensive free agent additions. Formerly a member of Tampas Cup winning squad in 2004, Pavel Kubina was inked for four years and $20 million and Hal Gill, once a towering defender in Boston but far less effective under the free-flowing rules of the league post-lockout, raked in more than $6 million for three years. Both were overpaid from the outset – especially in the case of Kubina, one of many to struggle under the weight of an onerous contract – and both were eventually traded. 2007 Jason Blake came next. Scoring more frequently as an Islander in 2006 than at any other point in a 13-year career, Blake – age 33 – signed with the Leafs for five years and $20 million in the last significant move of the Ferguson Jr. era. Blake, predictably, could not live up to the expectations of such a large contract, never coming close to 40 goals again; he was dealt to Anaheim alongside Vesa Toskala for J.S. Giguere in 2010. 2008 Mostly forgotten now, but of considerable damage to the organization during a brief 10-month tenure, Fletcher continued the free agent plight in 2008. Maybe even more stunning now than it was then, Fletcher handed former Avalanche defender Jeff Finger, he of 94 games of NHL experience, four years and $14 million. Finger played 62 forgettable games in a Leaf uniform, was eventually buried in the minors, never to be heard from again. Joining Finger in the free agent trot that day was Niklas Hagman, a Finnish winger who scored 27 goals the year prior in Dallas. Hagman also cashed in under Fletcher, lured for four years at a bloated $12 million. Though he scored 42 goals in two seasons with the Leafs, Hagman was consistently inconsistent, soon to be dealt to Calgary in the famed Dion Phaneuf trade. 2009 Still months from pulling the trigger on the noisiest (and most controversial) move of his busy Toronto tenure – the hotly debated Phil Kessel trade – Burke sought a big and ultimately failed splash in his first summer as the Leafs front man. It was all about truculence then and truculence he got. There were the four years and $4 million pitched to former Rangers heavyweight, Colton Orr; five long years and $22.5 million to Mike Komisarek; three years at just over $11 million for Francois Beauchemin. Orr lingereed as a mostly unused tough guy for Ron Wilson before being briefly banished to the minors (he eventually returned to the NHL).dddddddddddd. Komisarek, a step or two slow for the speedier new game, tumbled quickly under the burden of a deal he could never live up to and was bought out by the organization last summer. Beauchemin eventually found his game, but not in Toronto. He returned to the Ducks in the Jake Gardiner-Joffrey Lupul swap, finishing fourth in the 2013 Norris Trophy voting. 2010 Still trying to fill various holes through free agency, Burke added the veteran grinder Colby Armstrong from Pittsburgh the following summer (three years, $9 million). Armstrong never found much health as a Leaf though and preceded fellow free agent signee, Komisarek, on the buyout line. 2011 Tim Connolly recorded just 42 points in his final go-around in Buffalo, but still landed $9 million for two years in the summer of 2011. Connolly never hit the desired mark of No. 1 centre for the Leafs (he had 36 points in 70 games), was demoted to the Marlies after a year and is now out of the NHL. 2013 And then last summer there was David Clarkson, the first signee of Nonis as Leafs GM. In perhaps the worst deal of the aforementioned bunch, Clarkson landed in his hometown for seven years and more than $36 million on July 1st, 2013. Year 1 was an all-out nightmare and while theres every chance of a bounce-back of some kind in Year 2, his talents are unlikely to ever match the value of an incredibly burdensome contract. Clarkson was just the latest in a line of July 1st blunders. The fundamental flaw in continually swinging big in free agency is the lacking value the process ensures – players are almost always overvalued on Day 1 of the contract. As demonstrated yet again by the L.A. Kings earlier this summer, team building (and sustained success) is best accomplished through successful draft and development, not pricey spending on a mistake-laden day. And so while impending UFAs like Paul Statsny may appear to solve long-standing needs, Nonis (and Brendan Shanahan) would be wise to approach with caution. The answer, especially in Toronto, is almost never found on July 1st. Player Contract End Result Pavel Kubina 4 years, $20M Traded Hal Gill 3 years, $6.25M Traded Jason Blake 5 years, $20M Traded Jeff Finger 4 years, $14M Demoted Niklas Hagman 4 years, $12M Traded Colton Orr 4 years, $4M Demoted * Mike Komisarek 5 years, $22.5M Bought Out Francois Beauchemin 3 years, $11.4M Traded Colby Armstrong 3 years, $9M Bought Out Tim Connolly 2 years, $9M Demoted David Clarkson 7 years, $36.75M N/A ' ' '
MADRID, Spain -- Lionel Messi marked his return from a near two-month injury absence by coming off the bench to score two late goals as Barcelona beat Getafe 4-0 in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. While Cesc Fabregas also scored twice, the atmosphere at the far-from-capacity Camp Nou only picked up with Messis entrance as a substitute in the 64th minute. The Argentina forward showed no after-effects from a torn left hamstring. "I felt good in training and even if they checked me thoroughly, once you get on the field its totally different," Messi said. "Physically I felt good, I didnt feel any discomfort in my muscle." "I played through injury," Messi said of the buildup to his 59-day absence, when he was bothered by various problems. "But I did well to get through all of this. And now Im motivated to make this a great year." Messi slotted home Martin Montoyas lay-off inside the area on the stroke of stoppage time before capping a typical run through the opponents defence with a rising shot into the back of the net moments later. "Messis career is like a movie script," Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino said. "When you think hes down, he scores goals within just two or three minutes. His game was like a summary of his entire career here." Pedro Rodriguez found Fabregas inside the area with a well-placed cross to head home the ninth-minute opener, and Fabregas later doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in front of 39,299 fans at the 100,000-capacity stadium. Barcelona was without forward Neymar because of a stomach bug. The game was watched by the teams former coach Tito Vilanova, who showed the effects of his cancer treatment. In other last 16, first-leg matches, last-place Real Betis set aside its Spanish league woes to beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 at home, while second-division side Alcorcon also started with a 1-0 home victory against Espanyol. Racing Santander drew 1-1 against Almeria in a tension-filled matchup marked by player protests and the directors box being stormed by spectators. Santander has quickly slid down the professional ranks into the third division since its relegation from topflight football two seasons ago. Tension was high among the 1,500 fans in the El Sardinero from the kickoff when players stood idly for 20 seconds in protest at not being paid their wages for three months. A group of spectators also attempted to confront club president Alfonso Garcia and the directors in their seats, and clashes with police followed. At the Benito Villamarin Stadium, Betis forward Ruben Castro headed home Juanfran Morenos long cross at the far post in the 42nd minute for the winner. Cedric Mabwati and Joan Verdu came close as Betis controlled the first half before Athletic improved. Kike Sola marked his return from injury with the visitors best chances, hitting a post just before stoppage time. Dani Pacheco scored as Alcorcon continued its good run in the domestic cup competition against Espanyol, which was without coach Javier Aguirre who was serving the first of a four-game ban. On Thursday, Real Madrid plays Osasuna and Rayo Vallecano faces Levante. Defending champion Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 at Valencia on Tuesday. Emiliano Martinez Jersey . - Young and old. Petr Cech Arsenal Jersey . "You hate when they score," he said with some distaste at the thought. "You take pride in it. http://www.footballarsenalstore.com/Wome...ersey/.com) - His team lost in the round of 16 of the FCS playoffs, yet Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley says his team has made a strong case to be voted to the top 5 in the final rankings. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Arsenal Jersey . - Even with a new coach, the Denver Nuggets still love to push the basketball. Shkodran Mustafi Arsenal Jersey . Goodell said in an ESPN Radio interview Monday (http://es.pn/1gkbauy ) that participants played harder and made the game very competitive. Goodell says he had fun watching the game Sunday and thinks fans did, too.LOS ANGELES -- Forward Colin Fraser has been activated by the Los Angeles Kings after a three-game absence with an apparent concussion. The Kings reassigned forward Linden Vey to their AHL affiliate in Manchester on Thursday. Fraser has one point in 17 games for the Kings this season, but has been out for a week after getting hit by Torontos Frazer McLaren on Dec.dddddddddddd 11. The two-time Stanley Cup champion returned to practice earlier this week. Vey made his NHL debut with the Kings on Nov. 7, scoring his first point two days later. The 22-year-old centre has five assists in 14 games with Los Angeles. ' ' '