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The Montreal Canadiens made a run to the Eastern Conference Final, losing in six games to the New York Rangers, and the challenge this summer will be to continue improving, recognizing that run wasnt built on the strongest foundation. Buccaneers Brandon Myers Womens Jersey . Off-Season Game Plan examines a Habs team that has some very nice pieces around which to build, but GM Marc Bergevin has some work to do to fill out his roster this summer. The first priority will be getting restricted free agent defenceman P.K. Subban signed to a long-term deal. Subban took a bridge deal the last time he was a restricted free agent and betting on his own performance paid off, or it will shortly. Subban is the Canadiens most dynamic player, one of the few defencemen in the league that drive play and create offence. Behind Subban, the Habs have goaltender Carey Price, who has put up numbers that rank the best among starting goaltenders in recent years and is coming off the best season of his career; one shortened when Rangers winger Chris Kreider collided with him in Game One of the Conference Final. Up front, the Habs building blocks include Max Pacioretty, who scored 39 goals last season, 2012 third overall pick Alex Galchenyuk and rambunctious winger Brendan Gallagher; nice players all of them. The trouble is, while the Canadiens just had their second 100-point season since 1993, they were also a team that ranked in the bottom third in terms of possession and responded to that by signing their coach to a four-year contract extension. For the Habs sake, they better hope Michel Therrien has some ideas about how to reverse that puck possession trend because if the plan is to rely on Carey Price to play out of his mind in goal, well, its possible that will work, but its a risky approach to bank on a goaltending advantage to overcome a puck possession deficit. Personnel changes could help alter that tilted ice. Letting veteran defenceman Doug Murray head to free agency is a start, and maybe young blueliners like Nathan Beaulieu, Jarred Tinordi and Greg Pateryn can be part of an improved back end that will ease Prices workload. A decision to be made on free agent Andrei Markov will also play a role in determining reasonable expectations for next years defence corps. Since the Thomas Vanek experiment seemed to fall flat, the Canadiens may still have room for another scoring forward and thats probably necessary if the Canadiens harbour hopes of competing with the best teams in the Eastern Conference. If it happens to be a forward that has a track record of pushing play in the right direction, all the better. The TSN.ca Rating is an efficiency rating based on per-game statistics including goals and assists -- weighted for strength (ie. power play, even, shorthanded) -- Corsi, adjusted for zone starts, quality of competition and quality of teammates, hits, blocked shots, penalty differential and faceoffs. Generally, a replacement-level player is around a 60, a top six forward and top four defenceman will be around 70, stars will be over 80 and MVP candidates could go over 90. Sidney Crosby finished at the top of the 2013-2014 regular season ratings at 87.12. Salary cap information all comes from the indispensable www.capgeek.com. CF% = Corsi percentage (ie. percentage of 5-on-5 shot attempts), via www.extraskater.com. GM/COACH Marc Bergevin/Michel Therrien Returning Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Cap Hit Tomas Plekanec 68.84 81 20 23 43 45.5% $5.0M Max Pacioretty 77.92 73 39 21 60 51.6% $4.5M Daniel Briere 63.39 69 13 12 25 47.1% $4.0M David Desharnais 68.07 79 16 36 52 50.3% $3.5M Rene Bourque 66.44 63 9 7 16 45.3% $3.333M Brandon Prust 59.45 52 6 7 13 42.2% $2.5M Travis Moen 58.71 65 2 10 12 45.7% $1.85M Alex Galchenyuk 65.10 65 13 18 31 47.4% $925K Brendan Gallagher 68.71 81 19 22 41 52.0% $685K Michael Bournival 59.53 60 7 7 14 44.0% $660K Free Agent Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Class 13-14 Cap Hit Lars Eller 67.69 77 12 14 26 48.2% RFA $1.325M Dale Weise 62.53 61 6 10 16 44.3% RFA $750K Ryan White 56.82 52 2 4 6 37.5% RFA $700K Thomas Vanek 73.52 78 27 41 68 47.0% UFA $7.143M Brian Gionta 67.64 81 18 22 40 45.4% UFA $5.0M George Parros 51.83 22 0 1 1 26.9% UFA $938K He doesnt necessarily have the reputation as a premier goal-scorer yet, but after Max Pacioretty tallied 39 goals in 2013-2014, he has 87 goals in the past three seasons, which ranks seventh in the league, so maybe its time to give him that respect. His relative puck possession stats have also been sensational over the past four seasons, as hes been placed into an offensive role with the Habs and has run with the opportunity. Veteran centre Tomas Plekanec had 43 points in 81 games, his lowest per-game scoring rate since 2008-2009 but, for the fifth straight year, he played more than 19 minutes per game. Much of the reason for Plekanecs offensive decline is that, as a strong two-way player, hes asked to handle tough assignments and he took on some of the toughest, against high-quality opposition and less than 40% offensive zone starts. Plekanecs ability to handle those tough minutes frees up Montreals other centres for more offensive focus. Brendan Gallagher followed up a strong rookie campaign with a good full season in his second year. The short and stocky agitator has already been a strong puck possession player, a facet of his game that should earn him more ice time on a Canadiens team that doesnt control the puck particularly well. Additionally, Gallagher plays with a relentless drive that is a great example for other Habs forwards. Through the first 19 games last season, David Desharnais had but one assist and the Habs were trying to figure out what they were going to do with him over the three-plus years remaining on his deal. Then, the tide turned, and pucks started finding the net and Desharnais, who played primarily with Pacioretty and Gallagher (and some with Thomas Vanek), tallied 51 points in his last 60 games of the season. Hes small, theres no getting around that, but Desharnais has been productive and a solid puck possession player while playing in an offensive role. Just when it might appear to time to unload Rene Bourque, and a 16-point season made that fair game, he flipped the switch in the playoffs and scored eight goals in 17 games, while generating 3.0 shots on goal per game. Thats the kind of play that the Habs need out of Bourque, a big winger who can skate and was a three-time 20-goal scorer before he was acquired in 2011-2012; he has tallied 21 goals in 128 games since. The Canadiens wont be accused of throwing Alex Galchenyuk into the fire, keeping his ice time down and his production waned as his second season went on. Around time missed with a broken hand and prior to a knee injury that knocked him out late in the regular season and through a dozen playoff games, Galchenyuk managed nine points in his last 30 games of the year. Hes a real talent and needs to play a bigger role going forward. There was plenty of reason to be skeptical that 36-year-old Daniel Briere would be a help to the Canadiens and his point production, 25 points in 69 games, was his lowest in 15 years. What is somewhat noteworthy, though, is that Briere was an adequate possession player with 44.1% offensive zone starts. Thats hardly ideal for a $4-million player, but Briere can at least fill a depth role and contribute to the power play on occasion. Acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in 2010 for defenceman Ryan OByrne, Michael Bournival started paying dividends for Montreal last season, using his speed in a checking role. He missed some time with a concussion and maybe there isnt a lot of offensive upside to his game, but Bournival can give the Canadiens reliable work in a checking role. When Brandon Prust was earning his reputation and a bona fide NHL player, in addition to willing pugilist, he was coming in a little below break-even in possession terms, but starting a high percentage of his shifts in the defensive zone, close enough that Prust could handle a regular shift, sometimes in a top-nine role. Last season, however, Prust got thumped in puck possession terms, so his play needs to improve if hes going to keep getting regular ice time. Otherwise, he can point to 100 fights over the past six seasons as his calling card. Injuries kept Travis Moen out of the lineup from time to time last season, but he was adequate in the defensive role to which he was assigned when he was healthy. It doesnt very well justify his contract, which has two years remaining, but if Moen can handle a strictly defensive fourth-line role, thats okay. No Canadiens forward scored more points in the postseason than Lars Eller, who finished with 13 in 17 games. This was among the bigger surprises of the playoffs, as Eller had six points in 35 games to finish the regular season, with three of those points coming in his last two games. For all of Ellers attributes, as a big centre who can skate, theres something amiss when he can go 33 games with one goal and two assists. He was remarkably unlucky in terms of on-ice shooting percentage and that should bounce back, but it would be nice to see the 25-year-old take another step forward in his development. Acquired in a trade for Raphael Diaz, Dale Weise has typically been obliterated when it comes to puck possession, though it needs to be acknowledged that he starts many more of his shifts in the defensive zone, tilting the ice a little in one direction already. Weise had a fortunate postseason run, scoring three goals and seven points in 16 games, and that pace isnt the kind of thing that hes expected to contribute, but if he could handle a steady fourth-line role, that would be a positive. Ryan White certainly adds bite to the Canadiens lineup when he plays, but he struggles to stay disciplined and is frequently caved in when it comes to puck possession. If the Canadiens could ever convince Joe Thornton to waive his no-movement clause -- come beat the Bruins! -- to jump into the Montreal pressure cooker, he would be an excellent fit for a team that shouldnt be seduced by their run to the Eastern Conference Final. There is talent here, and there should be room to add more in the summer, but the Canadiens need a lineup that starts driving the puck in the right direction more consistently, and Thornton is an ace in that regard. If not Thornton, and presuming that Thomas Vanek wont be coming back after a miserable postseason, then another top-six forward -- Paul Stastny, Ales Hemsky, Marian Gaborik (maybe Pierre-Marc Bouchard on a bargain deal?) -- would be most welcome. Returning Defence Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Cap Hit Alexei Emelin 64.24 59 3 14 17 44.4% $4.1M Josh Gorges 62.63 66 1 13 14 45.2% $3.9M Free Agent Defence Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Class 13-14 Cap Hit P.K. Subban 77.83 82 10 43 53 49.9% RFA $2.875M Andrei Markov 72.68 81 7 36 43 49.4% UFA $5.75M Francis Bouillon 60.72 52 2 4 6 43.8% UFA $1.5M Mike Weaver 59.39 72 1 12 13 49.1% UFA $1.1M Douglas Murray 56.12 53 0 2 2 41.4% UFA $1.5M Coming back from knee surgery, Alexei Emelin had a bit of a tough year, with poor possession stats, though he was starting a lot of shifts in the defensive zone against quality opposition. Hes physical and isnt afraid to mix it up with opposing forwards, but the Canadiens need Emelin to be better and its fair to expect that, with good health, he will be better than he was in 2013-2014. Josh Gorges gets the tough minutes on the Montreal blueline, facing quality opponents and starting the majority of his shifts in the defensive zone. He missed some time with a broken hand last season, but hes generally quite durable for a defensive defenceman who blocks shots regularly and has played more than 21 minutes per game for the past five seasons. The straw that stirs the proverbial drink in Montreal, P.K. Subban is up for a new contract and should get paid in a big way after taking a bridge deal the last time his contract came due. After scoring a career-high 53 points, while playing a career-high 24:37 per game during the regular season, before leading the Canadiens in playoff scoring, with 14 points in 17 games. He might make the occasional highlight-reel gaffe, but Subban drives the play for Montreal; they need him. There is room for significant turnover on the Montreal defence. While there appears to be interest in bringing back veteran free agent Mike Weaver, it gets more complicated with Andrei Markov, a 35-year-old who had a solid season, but has clearly lost a step. If Markov wants a three-year contract, its possible he would find that on the open market, from a team needing a top pair defenceman, but that could give the Canadiens second thoughts when they are already preparing for Subbans new deal. Prospects Nathan Beaulieu, Jarred Tinordi and Greg Pateryn could have really good opportunities to join the Montreal defence full-time, but free agency or trades could be important to rounding out the group. A lot will depend on how the Subban and Markov situations shake out. Returning Goaltenders Player Rating GP W L OTL GAA SV% Cap Hit Carey Price 77.27 59 34 20 5 2.22 .927 $6.5M Peter Budaj 64.43 24 10 8 3 2.51 .909 $1.4M Coming off the best season of his carer, it would be easy to believe that Carey Price is now set as a top-tier goaltender, but that would require ignoring the fluctuation in performance that comes with most goaltenders, even the really good ones. Over the past four seasons, Price has a .920 save percentage, which ranks fourth among goaltenders to play at least 150 games, but hes also one season removed from a .905 save percentage, so more time north of .920 would be just fine from the Canadiens perspective. With a .910 save percentage in 54 games over three seasons with Montreal, Peter Budaj has been a solid backup for Price; not playing very much, but providing adequate rest for the starter. When Price got hurt in the playoffs, though, the Canadiens turned to Dustin Tokarski, and with Tokarski requiring waivers to get sent to the AHL next season, there may be a decision to make regarding who gets to spell Price next season. Top Prospects Player Pos. Team/League Stats Nathan Beaulieu D Hamilton (AHL) 7-20-27, -19, 57 GP Jacob De La Rose C Leksands (SHL) 7-6-13, -5, 49 GP Zachary Fucale G Halifax (QMJHL) 2.26 GAA, .907 SV%, 50 GP Jarred Tinordi D Hamilton (AHL) 3-6-9, -4, 47 GP Charles Hudon LW Hamilton (AHL) 26-50-76, +9, 57 GP Dustin Tokarski G Hamilton (AHL) 2.38 GAA, .919 SV%, 41 GP Michael McCarron RW London (OHL) 14-20-34,+11, 66 GP Sven Andrighetto RW Hamilton (AHL) 17-27-44, -4, 64 GP Martin Reway LW Gatineau (QMJHL) 20-42-62, +13, 43 GP Greg Pateryn D Hamilton (AHL) 15-19-34, +4, 68 GP Tim Bozon LW Kootenay (WHL) 33-36-69, +9, 63 GP Dalton Thrower D Vancouver (WHL) 12-27-39, +9, 42 GP Magnus Nygren D Farjestads (SHL) 12-8-20, +6, 25 GP A first-round pick in 2011, Nathan Beaulieu is a puck-moving offensive defenceman who has played 23 games, with sheltered minutes, for the Canadiens. Hes promising, but also 21-years-old, so he shouldnt be rushed, but Beaulieu also showed well enough in limited ice time for the Habs in the playoffs. A forward with good size and skill that was a second-round pick last summer, Jacob De La Rose hasnt scored much playing against men in Sweden, but has shown in international play that he can produce in an offensvie role. The 19-year-old has signed with Montreal and will get an opportunity to adjust to the North American game. Also a second-round pick last summer, Zachary Fucale is a highly-regarded goaltending prospect, but hasnt had a dominant statistical season through three years as a starter in the QMJHL. Fucale is a 19-year-old goaltender, though, which leaves lots of time and lots of room for improvement. Like Beaulieu, Jarred Tinordi has played sheltered minutes in his 30 NHL games, but hasnt looked out of place and while his puck skills can improve, its safe enough to project Tinordi in a defensive role. If all goes right, the 2010 first-rounder could play shutdown minutes in the top four. Drafted in the fifth round in 2012, Charles Hudon is an industrious winger who can create a bit of offence and could use some time to get stronger before he is considered for a spot in Montreal. Acquired from Tampa Bay for Cedrick Desjardins, Dustin Tokarski is a little small (5-foot-11) as NHL goaltenders go, but he played well in the playoffs and has a .912 save percentage in 235 AHL Games, which is good enough to get consideration for a backup role. Last summers first-round pick, Michael McCarron had trouble generating offence in his first OHL season, but hes something of a project, a 6-foot-6 winger with a massive frame. If he can improve his skating and pick up his production next season, that would ease some doubts created by his 2013-2014 season. A third-round pick last summer, Sven Andrighetto is a smallish Swiss-born winger who was a productive scorer in the QMJHL, putting up 204 points in 133 (regular season plus playoff) games and made a smooth transition to pro hockey. Picked in the fourth round last year, Martin Reway is an undersized winger who has 139 points in 109 (regular season plus playoff) QMJHL games over the past two seasons. The 19-year-old will play for Sparta Praha in the KHL next season, but is worth keeping tabs on because of his offensive talent. Acquired from Toronto in a trade for Mikhail Grabovski in 2008, Greg Pateryn is now knocking on the door for an NHL job after scoring 15 goals in his second AHL season. He wasnt a big scorer at the University of Michigan, but has good size and a big shot. Taken in the third round in 2012, Tim Bozon is a winger with good finishing touch who endured a meningitis scare this year and has just returned to the ice. He scored 105 goals in three WHL seasons and while he likely needs time to get back up to speed and strength, hell be intriguing to follow. A second-round pick in 2012, Dalton Thrower isnt the biggest defenceman, but plays an aggressive game and has some puck skills that will give him a chance to develop into an asset on the Habs blueline. An offensive defenceman that returned to Sweden after starting the year (1 G, 7 A, -9, 16 GP) in Hamilton, Magnus Nygren is a 24-year-old who has 52 points (25 G, 27 A) in 76 games in Sweden over the past couple seasons. Daniel Carr, a free agent signed out of Union College after scoring 157 points in 160 points over four seasons with the Skating Dutchmen, is also worth keeping an eye on. Canadiens advanced stats and player usage chart from Extra Skater DRAFT 26th - Travis Sanheim, Nickolay Goldobin, Nick Schmaltz, Connor Bleackley. FREE AGENCY According to www.capgeek.com, the Canadiens have approximately $42.9M committed to the 2014-2015 salary cap for 14 players. Check out my possible Canadiens lineup for next season on Cap Geek here. Needs: One top six forward, one top four defencemen, three more defencemen. What I said the Canadiens needed last year: One top nine forward, depth forwards. They added: Daniel Briere, George Parros, Douglas Murray. TRADE MARKET Lars Eller, Travis Moen, Magnus Nygren. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Buccaneers Vincent Jackson Lights Out Jersey . The Ukrainians are scheduled to face the United States in a friendly on Wednesday in Cyprus, a match moved from Kharkiv to Larnaca for security reasons. Buccaneers Mike Evans Youth Jersey . -- With over $20 million of cap space available for 2014, the Jacksonville Jaguars figure to be active in the free-agency market in the off-season.(NLL) - One day after re-signing Matt Vinc and Sid Smith to multi-year deals, the Rochester Knighthawks re-signed forward Dan Dawson to a seven-year contract on Thursday. Dawson, who could have tested the open market as an unrestricted free agent, decided instead to remain a Knighthawk for the remainder of his National Lacrosse League career. "It allows me to play for (Knighthawks owner) Curt (Styres) and play out my career in Rochester," said the 31-year-old Dawson. "When you have a leader and an owner that cares about his players more so off the floor than on the floor, it really makes your decision to sign and end your career under Curt that much easier. It is truly an honor playing for him and I am excited to make a serious run at the championship this year." By re-signing Dawson, Rochester retains one of the most prolific scorers and playmakers in NLL history. The Oakville, Ontario native stands seventh on thhe NLLs all-time assist (577) and points (946) lists. Buccaneers Josh McCown Red Jersey. He also has 369 goals in 187 career games. In the NLL Playoffs, he is second in assists (73), fourth in points (118) and seventh in goals (45). The Knighthawks acquired the seven-time NLL All-Pro and former NLL MVP in a six-player, two draft pick deal with Philadelphia on December 14, 2012. The trade, which also sent his brother Paul to Rochester, rejuvenated his career. Last season, the veteran completed his 12th season in the NLL with his first NLL Championship. Dawson finished the regular season second on the Knighthawks in points (75) and assists (52). He was equally as dangerous in the playoffs, as he led Rochester in goals (six) and finished tied with Cody Jamieson with 14 points in three games. In the Championship Game, he scored one goal and chipped in four assists to help the Knighthawks defeat the Washington Stealth to defend their NLL title. ' ' '

DALLAS - Alex Chiasson needed a break, and he got one. Buccaneers Vincent Jackson Orange Jersey . The result was a game-winning, power-play goal. Chiasson snapped a third-period tie and lifted the Dallas Stars to a 3-2 victory on Monday night. Stars coach Lindy Ruff earned his 600th NHL win, and he got it against his former team. Ruffs first 571 wins came with Buffalo. "It means Im on my way to 700, hopefully," Ruff said. "It means that Ive had a lot of good players and good teams. Those wins belong to those players." Chiassons goal was his first in 13 games, and he wasnt the only player who broke a scoring drought. Alex Goligoski put Dallas ahead briefly 2-1 with his third goal this season after 48 games without one. "He has looked refreshed and energized," Ruff said of Chiasson. "He needed one to go in." Jordie Benn hadnt scored until he tied the game 1-1 in the second period with his first goal in 12 games. He knew what a victory would mean for Ruff. "Obviously, its huge to get that win for him," he said. "Hes a very decorated guy, a great guy and a great coach." The Stars opened a two-point lead over their closest pursuers for eighth place in the Western Conference. Dallas (29-22-10) has 68 points. Winnipeg and Vancouver both have 66. Tyler Ennis scored twice for Buffalo, with Matt Moulson assisting on both goals. The second got the Sabres even at 3:23 of the third. Ray Whitney had two assists for the Stars after moving during the game on to a line with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, Dallas two leading scorers. Chiasson, a rookie forward, was frustrated because Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth stopped six of his team-high seven shots on goal. Then, at 10:25 of the third period, Chiasson skated in front of Enroth and deflected Jamie Benns slap shot from the blue line into the net for the winning goal. What Chiasson couldnt do with his stick, he accomplished with his leg. "Sometimes youre going to need help from other people, but we need Jamie," he said. "Look at the first goal, Jamie was right there (screening Enroth). And then on the last one, his shot hit me in the shin guard." Enroth complained, but the goal stood. "Something happened there you couldnt really see on the replay," the goalie said, "but the ref told me it was (teammate Mike) Weber that kind of got his stick in my glove or whatever happened there." Chiasson said that the Stars 19-day Olympics break helped him. "I went through a phase where I couldnt see the light out of the tunnel," he said. "It seems like the break came at the right time. I put some weight back on, and I felt rested." Enroth made 36 saves, and Dallas Kari Lehtonen had 21. "The first couple periods, I didnt think we were in the game at all. If it wasnt for Jhonas, I dont think that the score would have been as close as it was," Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. "I thought in the third period we played a bit better. We took a bad penalty, again. They capitalized, and that was the difference." Dallas dominated the first period everywhere but on the scoreboard as the Sabres took a 1-0 lead. The Stars recorded 14 of the first 17 shots, but failed to score on three power plays despite putting seven shots on goal. Dallas nearly gave up a short-handed goal on the third advantage, but Matt DAgostinis shot hit the crossbar. The Sabres scored on their next shot. Drew Stafford skated in on the left side, and when Dallas Trevor Daley slid on the ice to try to block a shot, Stafford passed the puck across to Ennis, who scored at 17:17. Dallas outshot the Sabres 16-5 in the period, which ended with Enroth stopping Chiassons close-range backhand. Chiasson put a team-high four shots on goal in the first, including some of the Stars best chances. Enroth had stopped Chiassons slap shot on Dallas first power play, as well as two slap shots by Cody Eakin. The Stars tied it 1:30 into the second period when Jordie Benn sent a slap shot from the left point past his brother Jamies screen, and past Enroth. Six seconds before the period ended, Gologoski scored. Ryan Garbutt deflected Trevor Daleys slap shot off the post. Shawn Horcoff gathered in the rebound and sent a backhanded pass across the goalmouth to Goligoski, who scored into the left side of the net. The Stars had a 12-9 advantage in shots, for a two-period total of 28-14. Buffalo tied it when Moulsons shot went over the net but bounced back off the glass to Ennis, who tucked the puck into the lower right corner. The loss ended a season-best three-game winning streak for Buffalo (18-35-8). NOTES: The Stars were 1 for 26 on power plays in their previous seven games. ... Eakin left the game with 3 minutes remaining, but Ruff said there was no serious injury. ... Jamie Benn has six goals, nine assists in his last 11 games. ... Enroth has stopped 101 of 110 shots in his last three games. ... In his last four games against Dallas, Moulson has six goals, two assists. ... Buffalo was penalized six times; the Stars only once. "I just think it was typical last-place calls to a playoff-team calls, and thats just the way life works once in a while," Nolan said. Buccaneers Michael Johnson Elite Jersey . First, they have all been against an opponent he has never fought before, and second, he has won them all. Buccaneers Clinton McDonald Black Jersey . And they needed every bit of scoring they could muster. Malkin had a hat trick and the Penguins almost blew a four-goal lead before holding off the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Monday night to clinch their first-round playoff series in six games.On Tuesday, Tim Petrovic was surfing with his kids in Michigan. By late Thursday afternoon, he was leading the RBC Canadian Open.You can be forgiven if both those statements seem a little strange. After all, who goes surfing in Michigan? And who leads the Canadian Open without the benefit of a practice round? Petrovic did just that, putting together a silky round of 64 that tied him for top spot along with Michael Putnam. His round marked the first time hed played Royal Montreals Blue Course and not a bad maiden run. The 47-year-old was sitting on the beach in South Haven, Michigan on Tuesday when his phone rang to tell him he was in the field at the Open, having risen up the alternate list from eighth. Benjamin Alvarado had withdrawn and he was in. So he jumped on a plane Wednesday morning, walked around the back nine on Wednesday afternoon, and teed it up Thursday. “I kind of think it freed me up because I wasnt sure, especially on the front nine,” Petrovic said. “We started on one and I hadnt seen the front nine yet.  So you dont look ahead, obviously, and I wasnt really looking ahead on the back.  I was playing well, but I just [told myself] keep going through your routine, I was trying to stay in my routine:  Hit golf shots, hit driver and get it on the green.” Petrovic opened with a par and then rattled off three birdies and added one more for 31 going out. His back nine was eight pars and an eagle on the par-5 12th hole after two great shots left him a relatively short putt. After playing many years with exempt status, Petrovics schedule has been somewhat unpredictable of late. Hes split his time between the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour. Three weeks ago, he was in Halifax for the Nova Scotia Open where he tied for 38th. On thee PGA Tour, he hasnt made a cut since March, missing the mark in his last five starts. http://www.buccaneersstore.us.com/98-nike-elite-clinton-mcdonald-womens-jersey-nfl-tampa-bay-buccaneers-home-red.html. “Its a little tough.  Its a little tough,” Petrovic admitted of trying to plan out an itinerary. “I think I was spoiled for my first 10 years.  You make your own schedule, you know where youre going.  I think this year I pretty much split between the Web and the PGA Tour.” While he has no doubt given his luggage and passport a good workout, hes also managed to put together a solid career with earnings of about $12 million. Thats much better than his one-time job as a pizza delivery man. Petrovic also spent some time playing on the old Canadian Tour, now PGA Tour Canada, back when there was a bit of barnstorming happening. “The last time I was up here was probably in 1990, maybe,” he tried to remember. “We played the Canadian Tour, and I think Todd Hamilton was playing up here, Guy Boros.  In fact, we were in Halifax two weeks ago, and the last time I was up there was before they built the bridge to get out to PEI, because I think we were playing a golf tournament at PEI.  I think it was called Brudenell?  Does that sound right?” It does indeed. And it also sounds, well, almost ancient. Of course Petrovic isnt exactly a kid. He isnt too far off being able to join the Champions Tour. While most of the young players on the PGA Tour will mention Tiger Woods and Jay Z among their favourites, he lists Seve Ballesteros and Jim Morrison of the Doors as his heroes. As for surfing in Michigan, Petrovic admitted that the waves are pretty small and it isnt exactly the Gold Coast of Australia. But you make do with what you have, which is exactly what hes doing right now at Royal Montreal. ' ' '

LOS ANGELES -- Mike DAntonis "Marshall plan" worked to perfection on a night when the Lakers coach didnt have any other choice. Derek Carr Authentic Jersey . Pau Gasol had 23 points and 17 rebounds, and injury-riddled Los Angeles used its sixth different starting point guard of the season in a 110-99 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night. Kendall Marshall was given the assignment by DAntoni, who has used 18 different starting lineups this season. He was the 14th player to start a game for the Lakers overall, finishing with 20 points and 15 assists in 40 minutes -- all career highs. "Ive got to give all the thanks to my teammates. They did a great job of helping me out, as well as the coaches," Marshall said. "When were knocking down shots and playing defence, that makes it really easy on me." Marshalls other three starts in the NBA came last season with Phoenix, and the Suns lost all three games despite his 37 assists. He spent 2 1/2 weeks with the Delaware 87ers of the D-League before the Lakers signed him on Dec. 20. "Everything happens for a reason, so Im thankful for the position Im in right now and I want to make the most of it with this team," he said. Marshall began his freshman season at North Carolina as a backup point guard to Larry Drew II, before coach Roy Williams made him a starter. In one game, he had 16 assists to help beat Florida State. As a sophomore, he set an ACC single-season record with 351 assists. "One thing I do take pride in is being a leader," Marshall said. "It definitely felt like I was back at Carolina, just the way that we were playing tonight. There were a lot of similarities. We were getting up and down the floor, and Im excited about it. But the thing Im most excited about is starting the year with a win." The victory snapped a six-game losing streak for the Lakers, who concluded a four-game stretch against teams that are last in their respective divisions. Gordon Hayward scored 22 points for the Jazz. They never led in their rematch with the Lakers -- which came a week after Derrick Favours putback dunk with 2.1 seconds remaining beat them 105-103 at Salt Lake City and snapped Utahs four-game home losing streak. Gasol missed that game in Utah because of a respiratory infection, joining Kobe Bryant, Steve Blake and Steve Nash on a lengthy infirmary list that also has included Jordan Farmar, Xavier Henry, Wesley Johnson and Chris Kaman. Johnson was back in the lineup and was the first player off DAntonis depleted bench, getting 11 points in 22 minutes after missing Tuesdays game because of gastroenteritis. Trailing by 21 points with 4 minutes left in the third quarter, Utah narrowed the gap to 90-86 with a 19-7 run capped by Enes Kanters short jumper with 4:47 to play. But Nick Young responded with a 20-footer to ignite a game-ending 16-9 run that was highlighted by 3-pointers 30 seconds apart by Jodie Meeks and Marshall. "I thought we had opportunities," Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said. "I respect our guys for the way they fought back after we got ourselves in a big hole. We really cant afford to do that, especially on the road." Gasol led the Lakers to a 52-40 halftime lead with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Marshall had nine assists and seven points. Utah, trying for its first three-game winning streak of the season after beating Charlotte and Milwaukee at home, missed 12 of its first 15 shots while Los Angeles opened the game with a 19-6 run. "It seems like when Kobe comes back, were going to have a lot of guys coming back. ..." DAntoni said. "Hopefully we can stay within striking distance to at least give ourselves a chance going down the stretch and try to salvage the season." NOTES: With Bryant not close to returning from his fractured left knee, the Lakers already have been bumped from two nationally scheduled telecasts on the original cable schedule -- Jan. 8 at Houston (ESPN) and Jan. 20 at Chicago (TNT). ... The Jazz already have lost a league-worst 19 games by double-digit margins, just two fewer than they did all of last season. ... Utah, which came in 17th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage at 34.9, came up empty on its first nine attempts from behind the arc before Richard Jefferson connected with 4:04 left in the second quarter. Bo Jackson White Jersey . Beat France in a week, and Ireland will likely win its first Six Nations since 2009. It leads the standings with a huge points differential of plus 81. That will be ODriscolls final bow in an illustrious 15-year international career. At home on Saturday, he gave Irish fans a brilliant goodbye. Bo Jackson Autographed Jersey . According to Yahoo! Sports, the team has reached a five-year deal to play their home games on the roof of the Plaza Hotel and Casino.Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling may go down without a fight after all. Earlier this week, the NBA initiated a formal charge to end Sterlings ownership of the team he bought in 1981 and reports Friday indicate that the embattled owner will allow his wife, Shelly, to negotiate a sale. ESPN said Shelly Sterling and her lawyers have already begun talks with the NBA about a sale, and celebrity gossip website TMZ.com cited sources as saying Donald Sterling made the decision because he believes the NBA will eventually force him to sell. NBA spokesman, Mike Bass, made the following statement in regards to the Sterling news. "We continue to follow the process set forth in the NBA Constitution regarding termination of the current ownership interests in the Los Angeles Clippers and are proceeding toward a hearing on this matter on June 3." NBA commissioner Adam Silver last month banned Donald Sterling for life and fined him $2.5 million over racist comments the Clippers owner made that were recorded by his girlfriend and posted online. Silver also said April 29 he would urge the other owners to force Sterling to sell the team. The NBA says its constitution provides grounds to termiinate Sterlings ownership. http://www.authenticraidersshop.com/Derek-Carr-Raiders-Jersey. On the heels of the NBAs decision earlier this week, Sterling has until May 27 to respond to the charge. Under the NBA constitution, he also has the right to make a presentation at a special meeting of the Board of Governors planned for June 3. Sterling had reportedly threatened to sue the NBA and said he would not pay the fine, claiming through a lawyer that he has done nothing wrong and his punishment is unwarranted. Audio of Sterling urging his girlfriend not to bring African-Americans to Clippers games and disparaging Magic Johnson was first published by TMZ. Deadspin.com later posted a longer clip. The comments sent shockwaves through the league, leading to a protest from Clippers players, who dropped warmup jackets at midcourt before a playoff game and practiced with their shirts turned inside-out to hide the teams logo. Sterling told CNNs Anderson Cooper he "is not a racist" and "made a terrible, terrible mistake," but also took further shots at Johnson, saying the Hall-of- Fame former Lakers star doesnt do enough for the black community. The Clippers lost to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals. ' ' '

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Paolo Lorenzi of Italy reached his first ATP semifinal by upsetting fourth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina 7-6 (6), 6-7 (4), 6-4 at the Brazil Open on Friday. http://www.authenticdolphinsshop.com/Billy-Turner-Dolphins-Jersey . The 114th-ranked Lorenzi broke Monacos serve to go up 4-3 in the decisive set and held on to close the match in 2 hours, 34 seconds at the Ibirapuera Arena. The 32-year-old Italian squandered a match point before losing the second set, but was in control in the third to pick up the win. Lorenzi, who had 12 aces, made it to the semis for the first time after five quarterfinal losses in his career. The 43rd-ranked Monaco, a former top 10 in the world, was trying to win his 200th clay-court match. Dan Marino Camo Jersey . Tony Parker had 33 points and nine assists and San Antonio never trailed in a resounding 116-92 victory over Portland, bullying the younger Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. Dion Sims Womens Jersey . Higuain was greeted by about 100 jubilant Napoli fans waving club scarves and Argentina flags when he arrived for the medical exam, and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis said on Twitter later that both players had passed.Danny Manning grew up watching Wake Forest play games at the Greensboro Coliseum, memories that linger in his mind all these years later. He never thought one day hed coach the Demon Deacons. Manning, the former Kansas star who spent the past two seasons coaching Tulsa, was hired Friday as Wake Forests basketball coach. Hell be introduced at a news conference next week on campus in Winston-Salem, N.C., a short drive from where Manning grew up. "I spent a lot of my formative childhood years in North Carolina," Manning told The Associated Press on Friday at AT&T Stadium, the site of this weekends Final Four. "I spent the majority of my life in Kansas," Manning said, "but this was a chance to be a part of a university that I share the same values and history with." His hiring ends Wake Forests two-week search for a replacement for Jeff Bzdelik, who resigned under intense public pressure following four mostly unremarkable seasons. Manning, who was 38-29 with two post-season berths in two seasons at Tulsa, interviewed this week and toured the campus in Winston-Salem on Wednesday before taking the job two days later. His hiring is considered somewhat risky because of his lack of head coaching experience, but theres no question he brings instant name recognition to a program that dropped to near the bottom of the expanded Atlantic Coast Conference. "There have been very few players who have had as much success on the court as Danny," Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman said in a statement. "He has played for and worked under a number of legendary coaches and he has been successful in his coaching career. We fully expect that Dannys coaching career will reflect the excellence of his playing career." Manning attended Greensboro Page High School before his family moved to Lawrence, Kan., for his senior year, and when it was time to choose a college, he picked Kansas over North Carolina. After his "Danny and the Miracles" team won the national title in Kansas City, not far from the Jayhawks campus, Manning was drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in 1988. He made two All-Star teams during a career maarred by injuries before joining coach Bill Selfs staff at Kansas in 2003. Walt Aikens Jersey. Responsible primarily for working with post players, Manning was promoted to assistant coach in 2006 and two years ago earned his first head coaching job at Tulsa. Self called Manning "one of the most accomplished, humble people youll ever meet." The 47-year-old Manning took the Golden Hurricane to the CBI in his first year and followed that by guiding them to the Conference USA tournament title and their first NCAA tournament berth since 2003. They earned a No. 13 seed and lost to UCLA in their tournament opener. Tulsa forward Rashad Smith said he found out about Mannings move through teammates and media reports, though he said the coach texted him shortly thereafter. Guard James Woodard said it was "kind of shocking. "You know in the back of your mind, the run we had this year, there would be a lot of opportunities out there," Woodard said. "Im happy for him." Wake Forest never came close to making the NCAA tournament under Bzdelik, who stepped down March 20. Bzdelik went 51-76 with a 17-51 record in ACC play, and won only two league road games. Eight players transferred out during his tenure, and the Demon Deacons have been one of the youngest programs in the country -- with only one fourth-year senior in each of the past two years. Barring any more transfers, Manning will inherit a team with eight players who are either juniors or redshirt juniors -- including promising big man Devin Thomas and tempo-setting guard Codi Miller-McIntyre. As details of Mannings hiring trickled across Twitter, Miller-McIntyre tweeted: "Finally its over! Time to get back to work." Manning called the Demon Deacons a "sleeping giant," one that he believes will be able to contend with Tobacco Road rivals Duke and North Carolina in the near future. "A few years back, they were ranked No. 1 in the country," Manning told AP. "Theyve had great players. Youre about Chris Paul, Tim Duncan, just to name a few, because theyve had quite a few. "Im looking forward to going there and being part of that great tradition." ' ' '

MIAMI - Lawyers for Aaron Hernandez say their client wont answer accusations in a federal lawsuit filed by a man who says the former star NFL tight end shot him in the face outside a Miami strip club. Brent Grimes Dolphins Jersey . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. According to court records, Bradley claims Hernandez shot him after they argued at the club in February. Bradley seeks at least $100,000 in damages. A judge in Miami denied Hernandezs request to delay the Florida proceedings until a murder charge against him in the shooting death in Massachusetts of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd is resolved. The New England Patriots released Hernandez soon after he was accused in the killing. Dan Marino Premier Jersey . -- The Golden State Warriors say an MRI exam shows backup centre Jermaine ONeal has a bruised right knee and a strained right groin. Dan Marino Youth Jersey . -- Veteran catcher Jason Kendall, a three-time All-Star, has retired.Brendan Rodgers said he had never slept better heading into the heavyweight clash against Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday. Rodgers has spent the best part of three months ducking and diving from the questions about pressure and his sides title bid. Yet, when his team entered the raucous theatre of Anfield to another stunning rendition of Youll Never Walk Alone standing across from his side was the all too familiar opponent of Chelsea. It was Chelsea that had given Liverpool their toughest test in 2005 on the way to them winning a remarkable European Cup. It was Chelsea who was the last team to defeat Liverpool in the Premier League, back in December, and now it was Chelsea standing in front of the gates that guarded the path towards the Premier League trophy. Now, that is pressure. It could not have been scripted more perfectly. A former, true heavyweight in the game, whose level amongst the elite has slipped over the past two decades, now with a clear path towards a shock championship, if only they can get past the powerhouse in blue. It was at Chelsea, of course, where Rodgers worked on his craft under Jose Mourinho and now it had come full circle, a chance for the pupil to defeat the teacher on the grandest of stages. Up until now, even against Manchester City earlier this month, Liverpool had played with a reckless abandon, punching holes in defences and predictions, while gathering more and more believers that they could do what was thought to be impossible just five months ago. Their journey had guided them closer and closer to the pinnacle. With three games left, Liverpool needed just seven points from their last nine to win it all, and with Crystal Palace and Newcastle to come, there was no more hiding from the facts, no matter what Rodgers said. Dont lose to Chelsea and the title should be yours. Despite what Jose would want you to believe, this was no minnow facing up to the Reds as Chelsea picked a team that they had paid over 100 million pounds to assemble. Inside the tight, organised system drawn-up by Mourinho, the visitors were exactly as expected. Liverpools breathless starts had catapulted them to within touching distance of glory but on this bright, sunny afternoon they werent allowed to sprint out of the box.    Chelsea sat deep and allowed them to have a lot of the ball but with it the home team suddenly looked a side that carried extra weight. The weight of expectation can get very heavy on a footballers shoulder. With every pass, the Liverpool players had an extra thought. The brilliantly organized visitors closed the space and with it the punches, so ruthlessly delivered in past games by Liverpool, were missing. Raheem Sterling was Liverpools brightest player in the first half. How refreshing it is to see a young Englishman appreciate space as much as he does. Still, Liverpool probed but if Chelsea were on the ropes they were hanging out by them comfortable at taking the punishment. Branislav Ivanovic, back at Anfield after Luis Suarez took Mike Tyson style bite out of him last April, was magnificent leading Chelseas back four. Young Tomas Kalas could not have asked for a better partner to learn from on his Premier League debut. Gary Cahill and John Terry have been excellent this season but the Serbian defender reads the game superbly and, contrary to the English defenders, never loses his cool. Cesar Azpilicuetta, back to his more comfortably right back slot, was excellent and both he and Ashley Cole looked like full backs who had been sent out to do a specific job, narrowing the back four and inviting Liverpool to stretch the field and take the ball where they didnt want to. Dion Sims Authentic Jersey. It had been over seven months since Liverpool had played 45 Premier League minutes at home without scoring and as the half-time whistle grew nearer, at 0-0, tension started to creep in at Anfield. Then the creeping exploded. When Steven Gerrard received the ball in front of the Kop he made one small mistake, miscontrolling it, then a bigger one, slipping to retrieve it, and then the rope-a-dope was on as Demba Ba sprinted in alone to deliver a knockdown punch. One nil Chelsea. It was a scene from Liverpools not so distant past, one that wouldnt have been out of place last season when many a team would come in and force a maturing Liverpool into a mistake. It was those mistakes that helped Liverpool learn and progress but even they had been stunned with such a rapid climb that had brought them so tantalizingly close where suddenly those mistakes were far more costly than when the likes of Downing, Carroll and Adam were on the payroll. Such progression meant they now had to face up to something they hadnt really seen. Adversity. And it was delivered in the cruelest of manners with Gerrard, the catalyst for so much of their success this season, falling to his knees in the middle of his favourite place on earth. There was a second half still to play but Liverpool never looked the same. They had never been behind for longer than 35 minutes since their last game against Chelsea but once again that total was overtaken against the familiar foe. Suarez had a shot well saved and Joe Allens volley almost went in but Chelsea were resilient throughout, delivering a true knock-out punch just before the final bell when Willian tapped home. An under-the-weather Mourinho sprinted down the touchline again while Rodgers crossed his arms and looked on. Chelsea had done the double on Liverpool when many teams couldnt even beat them once.  Liverpools fans headed to the exits heads full of emotions about the title race, knowing the title was still in reach but now out of their hands. They will feel they can get to 86pts with two remaining wins but Man City, all too familiar with winning leagues on goal difference, can now get to that mark as well and should if they can finally get over a huge hurdle for that club and win at Goodison Park next week. Chelsea, still two points behind Liverpool, are likely out of the race but, once again, showed a team what you have to become to be winners. Without Petr Cech, John Terry, Ramires, Eden Hazard, Samuel Etoo and others, they had shown the style and character it takes to succeed in the biggest of games. Liverpool are rightfully anxious to win the league because it has been over two decades since they last did so, but, equally, they should be anxious knowing that a giant powerhouse, supposedly in transition, are getting stronger by the week. This was a weaker Chelsea yet still they set the standard you must match to be champions. They will, likely, spend many more future sunny Sundays in late April wrapping up title bids rather than ripping up those of their opponents. Sleep well, Brendan. You may never have a better chance than right now. ' ' '

The best in Canadian figure skating faced off in the Canadian championships this past weekend where the line-up for Sochi was decided. Eric Decker Blue Jersey . Headliners Patrick Chan, Kaetlyn Osmond and Ice Dance pair Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were only four of the 17 skaters nominated to Team Canada. With such a large team how many medals can we expect from Team Canada in Sochi? Three-time reigning world champion Chan certainly has a resume that speaks for itself. He won his seventh consecutive Canadian mens title Saturday and has broken world records for short program, long program and overall scores. He has had a great season and will look to improve on his 2010 Olympic fifth-place finish in Vancouver. Virtue and Moir are the reigning Olympic ice dance champions looking to capture gold once again for Canada. The biggest obstacle in their way comes in the form of American pair Meryl Davis and Charlie White, their rivals who have been battling back and forth with the Canadians for the top of the podium all season. 18-year-old Osmond has struggled with injury since withdrawing from Skate Canada in November. She returned to competition this weekend and did not disappoint. The two-time Canadian womens champion flashed the judges her infectious smile while showing no signs of rust from her time off. Canada will be well represented at Sochi and is filled with many other talented skaters hungry for success in the mens and womens singles, pairs and ice dance competitions. By qualifying 17 skaters Canada is the top ranked team in the new Olympic team competition. They will have one entry in each of the eight contests in the team event. All of the athletes totals scores will be added together to decide the victors. This new event gives each competing nation one more chance to reach the podium. In the Olympic Games anything can happen. But how many medals can we expect from Team Canada in Sochi? As always, its Your! Call. Eric Decker Black Jersey . - Lindsey Vonn has elected to skip the season-opening World Cup slalom event Sunday to rest a sore back. Eric Decker Green Jersey . Three straight losses have quieted the Maple Leafs - winners of 11 of 14 before the stoppage - who dropped a 2-1 decision to Columbus at the ACC on Monday night, their third loss in as many games to the Blue Jackets this season.Osaka, Japan (SportsNetwork.com) - Former champion Samantha Stosur was among the winners Monday in the first round of the HP Open, while top-seeded Jelena Jankovic withdrew from the tournament. Jankovic, coming off a loss to Serena Williams on Sunday in the final of the China Open, cited a left hip injury as the reason for her withdrawal. Frances Kristina Mladenovic was elevated to a ninth seed for the event and took Jankovics place on the top line of the draw. Stosur, meanwhile, is this weeks third seed and cruised past Swedens Johanna Larsson, 6-4, 6-2, on Monday. The Aussie won this event in 2009 and was the runner-up in 2011. Last years champion, Heather Watson of Great Britain, was eliminated Monday by eighth-seeded Monica Puig. Calvin Pryor Green Jersey. The native of Puerto Rico claimed a 6-4, 6-4 victory and will next face Japanese wild card Kurumi Nara, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Frances Caroline Garcia. Other winners Monday were fifth-seeded Eugenie Bouchard of Canada and Japans Misaki Doi. Bouchard had little trouble in a 6-3, 6-0 rout of American Varvara Lepchenko, while Doi thumped Spains Silvia Soler-Espinosa, 6-1, 6-2. The top player for this event is now second-seeded German Sabine Lisicki. Shell face South Africas Chanelle Scheepers in the first round on Tuesday. ' ' '

WINNIPEG -- On a day when the New York Islanders needed a lift, Michael Grabner was glad to provide one. Khalil Mack Jersey . Grabner scored on a breakaway 3:53 into overtime as the Islanders defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Tuesday. The victory came just hours after defenceman Andrew MacDonald was traded to Philadelphia and winger Thomas Vaneks future was up in the air. Cal Clutterbuck sent a pass from around the blue line up to Grabner, who slipped between Jets defencemen Jacob Trouba and Zach Bogosian and beat Ondrej Pavelec with a low shot. The Islanders (24-32-8) also got a goal and assist from Anders Lee and a goal from Colin McDonald to end a two-game losing skid. Jets captain Andrew Ladd scored his 16th and 17th goals of the season, tying the game 2-2 with 5:07 left in the third period for Winnipeg (30-26-7), which had a two-game winning streak end. Earlier in the day, the veteran MacDonald was traded to Philadelphia for centre Matt Mangene and a third-round pick in this years NHL draft and second-round pick in 2015. Vanek, who has 21 goals and 53 points, was then a healthy scratch amid rumours hell be traded before Wednesday afternoons trade deadline. "I dont really try to think about it," Grabner said of the days turmoil. "Ive been traded before, Ive been on waivers. Its business. You cant really influence what happens...You have to just stay in the moment, day by day, and after (Wednesday) well be all done for at least a couple of months again. "Ive been through this, Ive seen people traded on game days. Of course, its weird. (Vanek) came to the rink with us and then hes told hes not playing. It changes things around. But like I said, we did a great job of focusing on not letting this stuff distract us." New York captain John Tavares is already out for the rest of the season with a knee injury he suffered playing for Canada in the Olympic Games. "It was difficult," Isles coach Jack Capuano said. "Ive been around Andrew a long time and watched him grow in this league. Hes been a great player for us, a great team guy and a great friend to a lot of guys, so its tough the first game without him. "And, obviously, Thomas has been with us since the start of the year. We all know its a business, and every guy will tell you that we wish him the best of luck, both of those guys." Ladd scored his first goal after Islanders forward Josh Bailey turned over the puck in the Jets zone under pressure from defenceman Mark Stuart. Winnipeg centre Olli Jokinen then sent a pass up the ice to Ladd, who went in alone on goalie Nilsson and beat him with a low shot on the blocker side at 14:53. "I thought we came out tight, but we battled back and got a lot of chances and found a way to get it to overtime," Ladd said. "I think well take the positive of getting one point and move on." In the final three minutes, Nilsson was called for delay of game when he shot the puck over the glass, but the Jets couldnt capitalize on their fifth power play of the game. Nilsson made 36 saves and Pavelec stopped 24 shots. The Jets, now 11-3-2 under head coach Paul Maurice, who took over after Claude Noel was fired Jan. 12, didnt help or hurt themselves too much in the playoff race. Winnipeg is now one point back of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, which is held by the Dallas Stars, who lost 4-2 Tuesday in Columbus but have a game in hand. Winnipeg sits at 67 points, one ahead of Vancouver, which fell to Phoenix 1-0 Tuesday night. "They were a tough opponent tonight," Jets winger Blake Wheeler said. "And like I said, were proud of the fact that we were able to rally and get a point." Winnipeg opened the scoring when centre Bryan Little won a faceoff against Frans Nielsen and pushed the puck ahead to Ladd, who went to the front of the net and beat Nilsson between the pads at 10:57. The Islanders, who were dominating the first period, kept pressuring Pavelec and got a lucky bounce when Ryan Stromes shot went off the backboards and out onto McDonalds stick and he fired the puck in at 17:30 to tie the game. New York scored 1:33 into the second period on a goal that was reviewed for high sticking. Lee went in alone on Pavelec, who got a piece of his shot, but the puck went high behind him and Lee put his stick up and knocked it down and into the net for his third goal of the season. The Jets outshot the Islanders 17-7 in the middle frame to up their margin 26-20, but they lost rookie Mark Scheifele to a knee injury. The young centre took a hit from defenceman Calvin de Haan with just under nine minutes left in the period, fell to the ice and went straight to the dressing room. Maurice said Scheifele, who has 13 goals and 34 points this season, will be evaluated on Wednesday. Winnipeg hosts Los Angeles on Thursday. Notes: Tuesday marked Paul Maurices 1,100th game as a head coach.http://www.authenticraidersshop.com/Justin-Ellis-Raiders-Jersey . Seattle had a six-run outburst in an inning that included three Texas errors and an overturned call that led to the ejection of Rangers manager Ron Washington during the Mariners 7-1 victory Monday night. Bo Jackson Autographed Jersey .S. Olympic team, the teams general manager David Poile offered a public apology to the Ottawa Senators forward, who was left off the team. "Im trying right now to apologize to Bobby Ryan," said Poile during a conference call on Friday.The Los Angeles Kings have dealt prospect Hudson Fasching and defenceman Nicolas Deslauriers to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defenceman Brayden McNabb and the Kings own second-round draft picks, which the Sabres acquired in 2013 in exchange for defenceman Robyn Regehr. The 23-year-old McNabb was an All-Star with the American Hockey Leagues Rochester Americans this season, posting seven goals and 22 assists in 38 games. In 12 games with the Sabres this season, McNabb has accumulated six penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating. Khalil Mack Womens Jersey. . He has scored one goal and seven assists in 37 career games with the Sabres, who originally selected him in the third round (66th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Fasching, 18, was a fourth-round selection by the Kings at the 2013 NHL Draft. He has scored 12 goals and 15 assists with the University of Minnesota this season. NHL.com is reporting that forward Jonathan Parker will also be headed to the Kings in the deal. ' ' '

DENVER -- Nuggets forward J. Buccaneers Lavonte David Black Jersey .J. Hickson has a torn ligament in his right knee, general manager Tim Connelly said Saturday. A date for surgery to repair the ACL hasnt been set. Hickson is the fourth Denver player lost for the season to injury. Danilo Gallinari, JaVale McGee and Nate Robinson have all undergone season-ending operations. Hickson was injured early in the fourth quarter of Denvers 122-106 loss at Dallas on Friday night. The 25-year-old Hickson went down along the baseline, got up and went straight to the locker room with 8:10 remaining in the game. Hickson was leading the Nuggets with 18 points and eight rebounds. Hickson joined the Nuggets as a free agent last summer. He averaged 11.8 points and a team-best 9.2 rebounds in 69 games. He also posted a team-best 26 double-doubles. http://www.buccaneersstore.us.com/82-nike-limited-brandon-myers-womens-jersey-nfl-tampa-bay-buccaneers-home-red.html . 26 at 9 p.m. ET when FC Dallas takes on the New York Red Bulls in a single-game wild card match. http://www.buccaneersstore.us.com/93-nike-elite-gerald-mccoy-mens-jersey-nfl-tampa-bay-buccaneers-alternate-c-patch-orange.html .m. Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Colorado last played at Crew Stadium on Nov. 6 last year, suffering possibly the best loss in club history, as the Rapids won an ensuing penalty kick shootout to snap an aggregate tie in the playoffs.Chicago Blackhawks forward Dan Carcillo has been suspended indefinitely for his hard check on Edmonton Oilers defenceman Tom Gilbert on Monday night. Carcillo has waived his right to an in-person hearing, meaning the suspension will likely be a significant number of games. The Oilers trailed 1-0 when Carcillo launched Gilbert into the boards 7:23 into the second, resulting in a major boarding penalty and a game misconduct. Gilbert had a step on Carcillo when the agitaator pushed the defenceman, sending him into the air and into the boards behind the Edmonton goal. Buccaneers Gerald McCoy Orange Jersey. Both went down after the hit and had to be helped off the ice. Gilbert left with a lower-body injury and did not return, while Carcillo appeared to be favouring his left leg and had to be helped off the ice. Carcillo has been suspended five times since 2008 including twice in 2011, the last of which was a dangerous hit from behind on Joni Pitkanen. ' ' '

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. Bryan Stork Patriots Jersey . -- Eric Gordon drove through the lane, and his floater gave New Orleans the lead with 1.9 seconds left. Then, remarkably, the Pelicans never really had to go back and defend. Instead of calling a timeout, Detroit inbounded the ball, and when Brandon Jennings missed a shot from near midcourt, New Orleans had a 103-101 victory over the Pistons on Friday night. "Thats on them," Gordon said. "Well take the win." Detroit lost even after a 30-4 run in the third quarter put the Pistons ahead 78-62. New Orleans reeled off the next nine points to pull within striking distance. The Pelicans took a 99-98 lead when Anthony Davis was credited with a tip-in, and it was 101-98 after Anthony Morrows two free throws with 30.8 seconds left. Detroits Rodney Stuckey drew a foul with 27.4 seconds left. He made the first free throw and missed the second, but New Orleans couldnt come up with the rebound. Jennings missed a 3-pointer, but Josh Smith rebounded and made a layup to tie it at 101 with 19 seconds to play. Gordon patiently ran the clock down, spun past rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope near the free throw line and finished at the basket with a high floater. "It was for me to get it up top, one on one," Gordon said. "Its all about making that last judgment, and trying to get a good shot." After Jennings final miss, Detroit coach Maurice Cheeks stood near his bench yelling for a timeout. Too late. "I tried to call a timeout," Cheeks said. "That timeout is on me." Detroit wasted a 28-point performance from Jennings and 21 points and 20 rebounds from Andre Drummond. Morrow scored 21 points for New Orleans, which won for only the second time in 11 games. Morrow had been sick and hadnt played in more than a week. "Being sick and kind of being out of the rotation -- just got to fight through it," Morrow said. "Got to be a professional." The Pelicans were without Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson, Jason Smith and Tyreke Evans because of injuries Friday. Jennings scored 18 points in the third quarter. New Orleans led 58-48 early in the second half after a dunk by Alexis Ajinca. The Pistons scored the next 18 points and kept pouring it on for much of the quarter, with Jennings drawing fouls and breezing in for layups. The Pistons capped their 18-0 run in the third with five points on one trip down the court. Smith scored while being fouled, and although he missed the free throw, Detroit came up with the ball and Jennings connected from way behind the 3-point line to make it 66-58. Detroit spent more than half the quarter in the bonus. Jennings made two free throws to make it 68-60, then quickly stole the ball and found Caldwell-Pope for a dunk. "Obviously, our third quarter is one of the worst third quarters we have had," Pelicans coach Monty Williams said. "The NBA is a game where there is only so long that you can come back and the 3-point ball kind of allows you to do that." It was 80-71 after three quarters. New Orleans got another scare with 6:19 to play in the fourth when Davis fell hard under the basket and appeared to hurt his tailbone. But he was able to stay in the game. Davis finished with 14 points. Gordon and Austin Rivers had 15 each, helping the Pelicans rally for the win. "We just make poor decisions down the stretch of the game sometimes and we have to get better at it," Drummond said. "Nip that in the bud and try to finish games up." NOTES: Davis was the top pick in the 2012 draft. Drummond went ninth. ... New Orleans shot 73 per cent from the field in the second quarter and led 54-48 at halftime. ... Holiday was out with a right leg injury, Anderson with a herniated disc, Smith with a right knee problem and Evans because of an illness.Patriots Dominique Easley Jersey For Sale . They ran for the cycle in the first two innings, getting thrown out at each base in the opposite of the fundamentals stressed by manager Mike Scioscia. Patriots Dominique Easley Black Jersey . The Roughriders signed Chaz Schilens, a veteran of six NFL seasons with the Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, and Detroit Lions.On Saturday, David Sterns 30-year tenure as the commissioner of the National Basketball Association comes to a close. No man in the modern era has held the top office in one of the ‘Big Four sports longer than Stern and the NBA that we know today was largely molded under Sterns watch and his impact on the league is indelible. TSN basketball analyst Jack Armstrong on the legacy of David Stern: David Stern was a visionary who took the league through many challenges with a firm leadership style. Bringing financial stability, great media coverage, global visibility and incredible promotion of both star players and teams alike were just a few of the ways he was as big an impact player as anybody who wore a uniform. The league was a mess when he took over, but not now.  Adam Silver is inheriting a league in terrific shape - an NBA poised to continue to be proactive, decisive and a trendsetter on the pro sports landscape. Stern was the best commissioner the league has ever had and, arguably, the best in pro sports history.  He leaves quite a legacy. Lets look back, then, on a generation of basketball under Sterns watch and where its come from and where its headed in large part due to the man calling time on a storied career. Sterns impact on league direction did not begin with his assumption of the commissioners office in 1984, but rather with two key policies enacted while the Columbia law graduate was still the leagues Executive Vice-President: drug testing and revenue-sharing, both of which provided the framework for the two guidelines in place to this day. A lawyer first, Sterns impact on the business side of operations is obvious, both domestically and abroad. Expansion and franchise movement are hallmarks of Sterns NBA. Under the New York City natives guidance, the league has added seven teams in his 30 years (the Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Vancouver Grizzlies and Charlotte Bobcats) and relocated six more (the San Diego Clippers headed to Los Angeles, the Kings left Kansas City for Sacramento, the Grizzlies went south to Memphis, the Seattle Supersonics became the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Charlotte Hornets eventually became the New Orleans Pelicans and the New Jersey Nets crossed state lines into Brooklyn). Recognizing the global nature of the game, Stern sought to raise the leagues profile in two key ways. Prior to Stern assuming office, the then Washington Bullets had competed in four games against international competition (one in Israel, two in China and another in the Philippines). These were the only four games that an NBA team had competed in outside of North America. Sensing the international appetite for basketball and the potential to gain exposure abroad, Stern set in motion an initiative that, 30 years later, saw expansion into Canada and games played throughout Europe (Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the then Soviet Union, Spain, Japan, France, Georgia, Russia, Lithuania and Turkey,) Asia (Japan, Taiwan and Macau,) Latin America (Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico) and the Caribbean (Bahamas). As of Sterns retirement, 147 games, both exhibition and regular season, have been played outside of continental North America. The second prong in Sterns international plan of attack was the deployment of NBA players to international events like the FIBA World Championships and Summer Olympics, starting with the Dream Team with the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird running roughshod in Barcelona in 1992. Did Sterns plan work? Well, over his 30-year tenure, players representing 69 different countries have appeared in the NBA, a stunning testament to the games growth and popularity abroad. Stern also moved the NBA into the world of the 24-hour news cycle and took advantage of the burgeoning demand for sports programming on television. Its simply impossible to believe in 2014, but prior to David Stern, the NBA Finals were aired on tape delay. Thats right, tape delay!Stern put an end to that, signing lucrative television deals over the past 30 seasons that have ensured live broadcasts in both national and local markets. Right now, the Association is in the seventh year of an eight-year pact with Turner Sports and ABC/ESPN worth $7.44 billion. Rest assured, competition for the next TV deal will be fierce and the league can expect an even more substantial pact. The impact the TV deal had on the financial health of the league is obvious. According to Forbes, the NBAs 23 teams in 1984 were worth a collective $400 million. In the magazines latest franchise valuations, the average NBA franchise is worth $634 million, up 25 per cent from last year alone and the leagues franchises on the whole are worth an estimated $19 billion. Revenue generated from the 1982-83 season, the last prior to Sterns assumption of control, was $118 million. Last season saw revenue generation of $4.6 billion. The Draft Lottery system is another advent under Sterns reign. Phasing out the archaic system of a coin toss between the leagues bottom-two teams to determine who would select first in the annual NBA Draft, Stern introduced a lottery in 1985 that would see any team who missed out on the postseason have an opportunity at the first overall selection in the draft. The process would undergo revisions over the years, but it became an effective tool to prevent out-and-out tanking by losing teams and would be adopted by Stern acolyte Gary Bettman for use in the NHL. The growth under Stern from a business perspective is absolutely stunning, but Sterns sea change was also felt on the court and the in the locker rooms. When Magic Johnson announced that he was HIV-positive in 1991 and stepping away from the game, Stern stood next to the Los Angeles Lakers superstar on the podium, literally and figuratively. Johnson would return to the league and play again in 1995, as Stern and the rest of the NBA showed a progressive stance when it came to a proper understanding of the transmission of the disease and those living with it. Former journeyman John Amaechi came out in 2007 at the conclusion of his NBA career and Stern asserted that a players sexuality wasnt of importance. "We have a very diverse league,” Stern said at the time. “The question at the NBA is always Have you got game? Thats it, end of inquiry.” He praised Jason Collinss courage when the forward revealed his homosexuality in April of 2013. “As Adam Silver and I said to Jason, we have known the Collins family since Jason and [twin brother] Jarron joined the NBA in 2001 and they have been exemplary members of the NBA family,” Stern said in a statement. “Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue.” The NBA also showed a progressive ideal that no other professional league did when, in 1997, it became the first major league to employ female officials with the hiring of Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner as referees. From a discipline perspective, Stern has never been one to shy away on tough decisions. In 1995, Dallas Mavericks star Roy Tarpley was permanently banned from the NBA for repeated substance abuse issues. Stern followed suit that same year with Richard Dumas of the Phoenix Suns. The Miami Heats Chris “Birdman” Andersen was out of the NBA from 2006-2008 due to drug violations. Though some argue that Sterns policies could be more lenient, they were praised by one of the more high profile recipients of a ban. Micheal Ray Richardson, a former fourth overall pick of the New York Knicks in 1978, had lengthy and well-documented substance abuse issues and found himself suspended multiple times over the course of his career. In 1986 as a member of the Nets, Richardson was banned for life for three positive tests. Two years later, his suspension was upheld, but Richardson tested positive for cocaine twice in 1991. At the time, the  four-time All-Star vehemently disputed his positive results and vocally complained that the league was displaying a double standard in not disciplining Golden State Warriors star Chris Mullin for his battles with alcoholism. http://www.authenticpatriotsshop.com/James-White-Patriots-Jersey. As the years have passed, Richardson, who coaches the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada, now credits Stern with helping turn his life around. He and Stern made amends at an exhibition game in Paris in 1997.“I went up to him at halftime just to say no hard feelings,” Richardson told Metro London in November 2013. “He doesnt know it, but he probably saved my life.” Sterns policy of ignoring a players stature when meting out discipline extended beyond drug bans. Bit players and All-Stars alike were brought to NBA justice under Stern. Latrell Sprewell, then of the Warriors, was suspended 68 games in 1997 for throttling then coach PJ Carlesimo. Metta World Peace, then Ron Artest, received a 73-game ban for his part in the infamous November 2004 “Malice at the Palace” brawl in Detroit and three other players were suspended for 25-games-plus. After Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards brought a gun into the locker room in January of 2010, the three-time All-Star was suspended for 50 games. The importance of cultivating a workable minor-league system was also recognized by Stern and implemented through the proper expansion of the National Basketball Development League, now the NBA D-League, in 2005 after its creation in 2001. For the first time, NBA teams, like their NHL and MLB counterparts, had a place where they could develop talent without taking up roster spots and use the D-League to spot talent not under NBA contract. From 2005, players with three years of service or fewer could be assigned to the D-League and in the 2011-2012 season, an agreement was reached that would allow veteran players to be assigned to the league if they chose to consent. The benefits of the D-League for the 30 franchises were obvious, but it also represented a tremendous avenue for passed over players to force teams into giving them another look. Jeremy Lin, JJ Barea and Marcin Gortat are among those who blossomed during their D-League tenures before being recalled to their parent teams, while the likes of Matt Barnes, Will Bynum and Chuck Hayes all earned NBA contracts after successful D-League stints. That same summer of 2005, Stern made another significant policy change when the league and NBAPA agreed that players would no longer be admitted into the league straight from high school. Superstars like Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady headed into the Association right after high school, but a player would now have to be 19 years of age to play in the NBA. One of the main reasons for this implementation was to encourage players to head to college and pursue an education. Many see this as naïve, referring to it as the “one-and-done rule,” as many players now will declare for the NBA Draft after their freshmen years, but it nonetheless forced an issue that few wanted to talk about. On the court, Sterns watch saw new rules introduced to both improve the game and add to its integrity. The 1998 season brought with it a ban on any sort of forearm and hand-checking anywhere above the free throw line. This allowed for more unobstructed scoring and some of the games more productive players took full advantage. In 2002, instant replay was introduced to determine whether or not shots got off prior to the expiration of game and shot clocks. Its usage was expanded in 2008, when replay could be used to discern if a basket should be worth two or three points. An epidemic in soccer and hockey, Sterns NBA took on flopping in 2012. Though rules were implemented in 1997 to try to curb it, the addition of fines (albeit, monetarily insignificant ones) were meant to add in the shaming of the practice in a further attempt to eliminate it from the game. Obviously, that process is an ongoing one. It would be completely disingenuous to suggest that the Stern commissionership was all sunshine and lollipops, because it certainly wasnt. The NBA experienced times of tumult under Sterns watch, as well. In his 30 years as commissioner, Sterns NBA has seen labour disruption four times. Thats more than any other head of any of the “Big Four” leagues. With lockouts in 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2011, seasons were shortened two of the four times and revenues suffered and acrimony lingered between the league and the NBAPA. While the Draft Lottery was a novel concept, it hasnt been without its controversy, either. To this day, some insist that the 1985 lottery, won by the Knicks who then selected Patrick Ewing with the first overall pick, was rigged in favour of the Knicks as a means to get the leagues biggest television market the best available player. However, it remains a conspiracy theory. Gambling as an issue has arisen on a couple of very prominent occasions on Sterns watch as well. When the Raptors were about to enter the league in 1995, the NBA ordered that gambling on basketball must be removed from Ontarios provincial sports lottery. The league went as far as to suggest that the expansion franchise would be upheld if there wasnt complete compliance. After three months of negotiation, the leagues wishes were adhered to and Pro-Line removed NBA basketball from its games. Fifteen years later, betting on the NBA was reintroduced to that lottery. An even heavier gambling episode occurred with the case of referee Tim Donaghy. In 2007, it was revealed that Donaghy, a 14-year veteran, was under FBI investigation for gambling on games in which he was officiating and his connections to organized crime. Donaghy was arrested and eventually pled guilty to two counts of felony conspiracy and ended up serving 15 months in a federal prison. Though Stern categorized Donaghys actions of those of a “rogue official,” North American sports largest gambling scandal since Pete Rose brought with it aspersions from the media and fans alike over the integrity of leagues officials. Stern brought about tougher background checks on potential referees, but the taint associated with the episode lingered and still does to a lesser extent today. While relocation has brought with it mostly positive results, it, too, has not been without its detractors. Obviously, there is lingering resentment in markets where franchises left, but the New Orleans Pelicans (then, the Hornets) brought a special challenge to the commissioners office when the league assumed ownership of the struggling team in late 2010. The following year, Hornets star guard Chris Paul asked to be traded and in December of 2011, a three-team deal was agreed upon that would have seen Paul move to the Lakers, Pau Gasol head to the Houston Rockets and Lamar Odom to the Hornets. Stern, however, vetoed the trade for what he called “basketball reasons.” The optics here looked bad. Here was the commissioners office intervening in a trade involving a team under league ownership. This appeared to be a blatant conflict of interest on Sterns part and one resulting from pressure from the leagues board of governors to cultivate parity (in not sending another star player to the Lakers,) but Stern stuck to his guns and the deal died. Still, Sterns detractors pale in comparison to the innovation and stability brought to the NBA under Sterns watch. After 30 years, Stern can walk away from his post proud of the forward-thinking and critical leadership he brought to a league that was crying out for somebody to grab the reins and guide. On Saturday, David Stern exits a bigger, better and more entertaining NBA than the one he entered and the teams, players and fans are all better off for it. David Stern was part-maverick, part-entrepreneur and North American sports had seen few like him before. Very likely, they wont again. ' ' '