MINNEAPOLIS -- As the Minnesota Vikings filed into their locker room at the Metrodome for the last time, Leslie Frazier was there to greet them with a handshake and a hug. Andrew Luck Colts Jersey . The Vikings picked up one more victory at the soon-to-be-demolished stadium, perhaps a parting gift for the popular coach. Fittingly, the Detroit Lions left on the losing end. Cordarrelle Patterson scored two touchdowns, including the go-ahead catch in the end zone in the fourth quarter, and the Vikings beat the Lions 14-13 on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Metrodomes 32 seasons. From Patterson to Adrian Peterson, player after player passionately voiced their support for Frazier, whose record over three-plus years is 21-33-1. Peterson promised to make his plea directly to the owners on Monday. Frazier urged the front office to bring him and his staff back. "I just have a lot of belief in my abilities as a coach and have a lot of belief in the guys on our team and a lot of belief in our staff, and for that reason you dont have to walk in fear," Frazier said, flashing a brief smile. "You just know that things are going to work out." Owner Zygi Wilf declined to comment about a decision on Frazier, who has one season left on his contract. General manager Rick Spielman was mum, too. The Lions held Calvin Johnson out because of a nagging knee injury. Matthew Stafford stopped his turnover streak and completed 22 of 33 passes for 217 yards and a third-quarter touchdown pass to Bush, but the Lions finished 7-24 at this stadium, which was inflated in 1982. They finished the year with six losses in their last seven games despite holding a fourth-quarter lead in all of them, putting coach Jim Schwartz on the metaphorical hot seat, too. "Its definitely been very rocky, and its not been easy to deal with," said running back Reggie Bush. "Its been an emotional roller coaster, going from being in first place to where we are now, thats not how you want to end the season." Schwartz fell to 29-52 over five full years. Both he and Frazier have made the playoffs once. "We cant worry about decisions we dont make," Schwartz said, adding: "Id certainly like to be back. I think we have unfinished business here. Weve come a long way in these years, but we still have some ground that we can make and Im anxious to have a chance to do that." There will be no more business in this building, which will be torn down next month to make room for a new domed venue on the same site. The Vikings will play outside the next two seasons at the University of Minnesotas facility. "I love the stadium. But when you see the pictures of the new one, youre anxious and excited to get into the new one," said Peterson, who was held out due to a sprained foot. He set the NFLs all-time single-game rushing record here in 2007 with 296 yards. Third-stringer Matt Asiata filled in with 14 carries for 115 yards. Jared Allen had two sacks to pass the double-digit mark for the seventh straight season. Cassel had the winning touchdown throw. He was the quarterback at the end of all five Vikings victories this year, two in injury relief of Christian Ponder. The Vikings also narrowly avoided setting a franchise record for most points allowed, leaving the 1984 team still holding that dubious mark. This still might not have been enough to save Fraziers job, however. "I enjoyed playing for Leslie. He came in each and every day with a demeanour to try to get this team ready to play, and I respect that about him and how he went about his business. There never was anybody, especially in his case, hanging his head when things didnt go our way," Cassel said. Patterson wasnt ready for the opening kickoff, slapping the goalpost and trying to fire up fans behind him when the ball sailed in the end zone. Chase Ford caught it for a touchback. Patterson quickly refocused, though. Late in the first quarter, he took a pitch in the backfield, immediately reversed course and ran right toward the sideline. He slipped between Ndamukong Suh and Devin Taylor, then snaked his way through the rest of the defence for a 50-yard gain, the longest rushing play in Vikings history by a wide receiver. NOTES: Patterson finished his rookie year with nine TDs, including six in the last five games. ... Bush and fellow RB Joique Bell each finished with 500-plus yards receiving. They combined for 2,709 yards and 15 TDs. Malik Hooker Youth Jersey . In his first game with Boston University, the 17-year-old Eichel picked up five assists as his Boston University Terriers thumped St. Reggie Wayne Womens Jersey . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. http://www.officialindianapoliscoltspro.com/Pat-mcafee-colts-jersey/ . Louis Blues brought in the premier unrestricted free agent centre, and did it without breaking the bank. LOS ANGELES -- Mr. Game 7 delivered in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final. Justin Williams scored 4:36 into overtime as the Los Angeles Kings rallied to edge the New York Rangers 3-2 in the opening game of the NHL championship series Wednesday night. The winning goal came on a cruel bounce, a sudden end to an evening that had started with so much promise for the underdog Rangers. Dan Girardi fanned on a clearing attempt and the puck ended up at the blue-line with Mike Richards, who found Williams alone in front. Williams, who is 7-0 on the Game 7 stage with seven goals and 14 points, scored high to the stick side to complete a Kings comeback from 2-0 down. It was his first career playoff overtime goal. "Ive said this many times, Justin is the most underrated player on our team by a mile," said Kings defenceman Drew Doughty, who had a roller-coaster night. "He doesnt get enough credit for what he does. "Theres two guys on this team that I want to give the puck to and thats him and Kopie (Anze Kopitar). When they have the puck, plays happen." Added coach Darryl Sutter: "Our best right-winger every night consistently." Williams eighth goal of the playoffs marked the third straight year that Game 1 of the final has gone to OT. Game 2 goes Saturday at the Staples Center with advantage Los Angeles. Teams winning Game 1 have gone on to claim the Cup 77 per cent of the time (57-of-74 series) since the final went to a best-of-seven format in 1939. Benoit Pouliot and Carl Hagelin scored for the Rangers before a crowd of 18,399, the Kings 118th straight sellout. Kyle Clifford and Doughty also scored for Los Angeles, which trailed 2-0 after 15 minutes. "Its a great result for us definitely but we have a lot of things to clean up," said Williams, who has nine points (three goals, six assists) in the last seven games. "Certainly not our best game by any standards especially ours. But we were able to get it done and thats the most important thing." "Weve got a lot to clean up but (we are) happy with the win," said Doughty. After going down early, the Kings tied it up at 2-2 in the second period and then came on like a freight train --outshooting New York 20-3 in the final period. The Rangers held on and then threatened late in a wild ending to regulation time. "I liked the way we played in the first two periods," said Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. "I thought it was a hard-fought first 40 minutes by both teams. "Not quite sure what happened there in the third." New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist and the Kings Jonathan Quick both lived up to their reputations on the night, with Quick busy early and Lundqvist late in an entertaining end-to-end game. "He was the reason why we went to overtime," Vigneault said of Lundqvist. "I mean, he gave us a chance. When you get to overtime, a lot of times its a bounce, its a shot. Tonight they got it." "Our best player tonight," Sutter said of Quick. The Rangers managed 25 shots in regulation time. The shots were 2-2 in OT. "Quick didnt have many saves in the third period, but he had some Grade-A ones," said Williams. The Kings registered 13 straight shots in the third before the Rangers finally forced Quick into action 11 minutes 58 seconds into the period. The Kings werent good early on. New York, which had been off since disposing of Montreal last Thursday, came out buzzing. The speedy Rangers played with a purpose after the puck dropped. It was like little brother taking it to big brother -- they scored some knockdowns but eventually the bigger Kings began to claw back control. The Kings, who edged the Blackhawks in overtime Sunday in Chicago to win the Western Conference crown, finished with 455 hits to the Rangers 33. Rock Ya-Sin Womens Jersey. "They come at you hard," said Vigneault. "When you make a play, you got to be willing to take the hit to make the play. Thats something we knew coming into the series. "I thought for 40 minutes we handled it real well. Not quite sure what happened in the third there." New York -- the best road team in the East this season with 25 wins -- had two good scoring chances in the first three minutes. Quick had to poke-check Chris Kreider to end one threat and then stopped Hagelin from in front after a giveaway. It was an entertaining start, albeit a sloppy one. Quick was a busy man as the Rangers probed for an opening. New York went ahead at 13:21 when Doughty tried to be cute at the New York blue-line, attempting to drag the puck past an onrushing Ranger and lost possession. Things went from bad to worse when defence partner Jake Muzzin fell down and Pouliot scored to the stick side on the ensuing breakaway. The Rangers made it 2-0 the penalty kill at 15:03 as the Roadrunner-like Hagelin outraced Slava Voynov and headed to goal. Quick made the save but the puck bounced in off Voynovs skate for Hagelins seventh of the playoffs. While the bounce was unfortunate, it was the Rangers second scoring chance on the penalty. Hagelin, who also scored on the penalty kill against Montreal, is the sixth player in Rangers history to record more than one short-handed goal in one playoff year and the first since Mark Messier scored two in 1992. Los Angeles pulled one back at 17:33 on a good forecheck. Derek Stepan failed to clear the puck, turning it over and the Kings crashed the net, with Clifford jamming it in top shelf to revive the Staples Center crowd. It was Cliffords first post-season goal since April 23, 2011, snapping a 37-game playoff drought. The Kings outshot the Rangers 14-13 in a first period that belonged to the visitors. Doughty made up for his earlier turnover with a sweet goal that featured almost the same move that tripped him up before. Taking a nifty Williams backhand pass, a trailing Doughty toe-dragged the puck between his legs to evade Derek Dorsett and then snapped a shot through Lundqvists legs for his fifth of the playoffs at 6:36. While Doughty put on the brakes to score from in close, two Rangers and two Kings jostled on the other side of Lundqvist. It was Doughtys 17th point of the post-season, breaking the club record for a defenceman he set two years ago. Clifford made a fine pass to trigger the attack. On the bench, rugged Kings defenceman Matt Greene got treatment for a nasty gash by his left eye that looked like someone had taken a box-cutter to him. The game was getting nasty with Doughty complaining bitterly he had been butt-ended. Later in the game, he got a penalty for embellishment. The shots were 22-21 for the Rangers after 40 minutes. Both teams have travelled marathon journeys to get here. The Kings played 21 games, a league-record maximum, while the Rangers saw action in 20. The record for most playoff games in a single season is 26, set by the 1987 Philadelphia Flyers and 2004 Calgary Flames. The most by a Cup winner is 25, by the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes and 2011 Boston Bruins. Los Angeles finished 10th overall in the league during the regular season with 100 points, four ahead of No. 12 New York. The Kings are looking to win their second Cup in three seasons while the Rangers are after their first championship in 20 years. It was the Kings first playoff OT win at home since May 6, 2001, against Colorado. NOTES: Celebs at the game included Will Ferrell, Kate Bosworth, Jon Hamm, Ellen Page, Jim Carrey, Matthew Perry, Steve Carell, David Boreanaz, Kevin Connolly, Larry David, Catherine Keener, Spike Jonze, and Flea and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. ' ' '

Sydney, Australia (SportsNetwork. Brook Lopez Jersey .com) - Czech stars Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova will be the combatants in Fridays final at the Sydney International tennis event, a final hardcourt Australian Open tune-up. Thursdays semifinals saw the second-seeded Wimbledon champion Kvitova defeat qualifier and defending Sydney titlist Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 7-5, 6-1 and Pliskova oust fifth-seeded 2014 Sydney runner-up Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-3, 6-2. Pironkova upset Kerber in last years final. The 24-year-old Kvitova is 14-5 in her career finals, including Wimbledon titles last year and in 2011. She was 3-1 in her 2014 title tilts. The rising Pliskova is 3-3 in her WTA finals, including 2-3 last year. Kvitova is 1-0 lifetime against Pliskova, with the win coming on a hardcourt in Wuhan, China, last season. Fridays winner will take home $124,000. George Hill Jersey . So far, so good: Gonzalez has allowed one run through 12 innings this season. His second start came Tuesday night, when he gave up only three singles over six innings to lead the Nationals to a 5-0 victory over the Miami Marlins. Donte DiVincenzo Bucks Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline isnt that far away and teams will be making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. http://www.nbabucksproshop.com/Authentic-Oscar-Robertson-Bucks-Jersey/ . The All-Pro left tackle agreed to a five-year contract with the Eagles on Wednesday. Peters was signed for 2014, and his new deal adds four years through 2018.PATTAYA, Thailand -- Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic reached her first WTA semifinal in almost a year after she came back from two match points down to beat third-seeded Sorana Cirstea 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0 in the Pattaya Open on Friday. Pliskova came up with good serves when she needed them at 4-5, 15-40 in the second set to hold that game, and went on to dominate the tiebreak and third set thanks also to a barrage of unforced errors from Cirstea. "I didnt expect to win," Pliskova said. "She was playing amazing in the first set and I didnt have any chance to play my game. She was playing fast and she was killing all my second serves. In the second set I was just trying to hold my serves and hoped that in the tiebreak anything could happen." Pliskovas llast appearance in a semifinal was in Kuala Lumpur last February, when she also went on to claim her first and only singles title. Glenn Robinson Bucks Jersey. She faces Julia Georges of Germany, who beat fifth-seeded Elena Vesina of Russia 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. "Im happy that Ive won hard matches here," Pliskova said. "I played my last semifinal in Kuala Lumpur which is almost a year. So Im happy that Im not going to lose (ranking) points." In another quarterfinal, Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic upset eighth-seeded Peng Shuai of China 6-2, 7-5. Hlavackova, a doubles specialist who has two Grand Slam doubles titles, will have to go through fourth-seeded Ekaterina Makarova of Russia or Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm to reach her second singles final. ' ' '

PHILADELPHIA - Suddenly, the 76ers arent everyones punching bag. Custom Detroit Lions Jerseys .Michael Carter-Williams hit a running layup with 9.9 seconds left to lift Philadelphia to a 93-92 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.Tony Wroten had 20 points to lead Philadelphia, which won its second straight game for just the second time this season. Its the 76ers third victory in the last four games. They won for the second time at home and are 7-12 since beginning the season 0-17.We try to stay pretty grounded and understand what were all about and what our purpose is, Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. (The 0-17 start) does seem a while ago. Whether what weve done lately has erased that stat, that fact from peoples minds, I dont know.David West tallied a season-high 28 points for the Pacers but came up short on a 13-footer at the buzzer that wouldve won it for Indiana. West had put the Pacers in front with a fadeaway 12-footer with 17.6 seconds left.But Carter-Williams sent Philadelphia to the win with his layup eight seconds later. He also had nine assistsWeve been able to stop teams and guard teams, but they have some good guards and we just couldnt stop their penetration, West said. Carter-Williams made a heck of a play.Carter-Williams, last seasons Rookie of the Year, avoided Pacers 7-foot-2 centre Roy Hibbert on the winning basket.I knew I couldnt go over the top because hes a pretty good shot-blocker, so I went underneath and I was able to get it off, Carter-Williams said.West had a chance to win it but was defended well by Luc Mbah a Moute on the final possession.They didnt bite on the pick-and-roll, so it turned into a one-on-one at the top of the key, West said. He just guarded it well and I wasnt able to get any separation.Robert Covington added 16 points for Philadelphia.Theyre shooting the ball better and theyre just growing, Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. You can see theyre putting in the work. Coach Brown is doing a great job with them and theyre improving, both in their play and their confidence.Wroten made two highlight-reel passes in the fourth quarter, setting up JaKarr Sampson for an alley-oop dunk with 9:38 remaining and then bouncing the ball off the backboard for K.J. McDaniels breakaway jam.We just play together, man, Wroten said. We play hard, regardless, and we never give up.The jam gave Philadelphia an 84-77 advantage, matching its largest lead, with 7:28 left. But the Pacers scored 11 of the next 14 to go up 88-87 with just under 2 minutes, as Philadelphia missed nine straight shots.Wrotens layup put the 76ers back in front, 89-88 with 1:29 to play before Hibberts putback with 41 seconds remaining made it 90-89 Pacers.The 76ers used a 12-3 run over the first five minutes of the third quarter to take a 53-52 lead. The Pacers struggled from the field in the quarter but stayed close thanks to free-throw shooting. Indiana made nine straight attempts from the stripe during one stretch.Indiana entered one game behind Miami for the final playoff spot after winning eight of 14.Were just going to have to make it up somewhere, West said. We had gained some momentum over the last week and felt like we were playing some pretty solid basketball. We felt like this was an opportunity to keep it going. They just outplayed us down the stretch.C.J. Miles left with 42.1 seconds left in the first quarter with a left eye abrasion and didnt return. Miles was under the basket when Wroten accidentally hit him in the eye while following through on a layup attempt.BLOCK PARTYPhiladelphia tied a season-high with 12 blocks.TIP-INSPacers: George Hill (strained left groin) missed his sixth straight game. ... The Pacers have won (9 of their last 11) regular-season meetings against Philadelphia, including a 103-91 win in Indiana on Oct. 29.76ers: Little League star Mone Davis of Philadelphias Taney Dragons sat courtside and threw T-shirts to the crowd during one break in the first half. ... Former Sixers big man Darryl Dawkins also was in attendance.UP NEXT76ers host Atlanta on Monday night.Indiana hosts Minnesota on Tuesday night. Kerryon Johnson Jersey . And, just for good measure, lets say the lottery team finishes the game short-handed because two starters come down with the very same injury. Austin Bryant Jersey . Kerr said he had dinner with Jackson, his former coach with Chicago and the new Knicks team president, on Friday night and they talked again Saturday. Kerr is in New York to work the game between the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors for TNT. http://www.shopdetroitlionsnfl.com/lions-calvin-johnson-black-jersey/ . The 18-year-old Januzaj has made his breakthrough at United this season, including scoring twice in a 2-1 win over Sunderland before the recent international break. His performances have sparked a debate about where his international future lies.PARIS - Teenager Belinda Bencic eased past Virginie Razzano 6-1, 6-1 Sunday to bring Switzerland level with France at 2-2 in the first round of their Fed Cup World Group II tie. Bencic showed great composure to break Razzano five times in the one-sided match. "I just played with no pressure," Bencic told Sport Plus television. "I just enjoyed the match. I was so relaxed." Bencic took a 4-0 lead and won the first set when Razzano netted a volley. The 16-year-old Swiss capitalized on two forehand errors from Razzano to also break serve at 2-1 and 4-1 in the final set. Bencic converted her third match point when the 30-year-old Razzano sent a backhand into the net. "I couldnt do anything against her today," Razzano told Sport Plus television. "I tthink shes an unbelievable player. Kerryon Johnson Youth Jersey. She plays some dream tennis. Her future is promising." Earlier, Alize Cornet beat Timea Bacsinszky 6-2, 7-6 (4) to give France a 2-1 lead. Cornet won six straight games to rally from a 2-0 deficit and take the first set. The 25th-ranked Frenchwoman broke back twice in the second set before Bacsinszky saved a match point at 5-4. In the tiebreaker, Cornet jumped to a 5-2 lead and clinched victory when Bacsinszkys backhand sailed wide. "Amelie kept her trust in me today and Im glad I did not prove her wrong," Cornet said in reference to France captain Amelie Mauresmo. In Saturdays singles, Razzano dismissed Stefanie Voegele 6-2, 6-1 to put France ahead before Bencic upset Cornet 7-5, 6-4 to level the tie. ' ' '

Denver, CO (SportsNetwork. Custom Buffalo Sabres Jerseys .com) - Darren Collison scored 21 points with six assists to help the Sacramento Kings to a 110-105 win over the Denver Nuggets in the opener of a home-and-home set. DeMarcus Cousins had 19 points and five rebounds while Rudy Gay and Carl Landry each gave 14 points for the Kings, who have won three straight after opening the season with a loss to Golden State. JaVale McGee and Arron Afflalo each had 11 points for the Nuggets, who have dropped their past two. These two clubs will meet in Sacramento on Wednesday. The score was tied at 96-all when Ray McCallum put in a layup to give the Kings the lead. Following a pair of three-point misses at the other end, Gay gave a layup while being fouled and put in the extra shot for a five-point lead. After McGee hit a pair of free throws, Gay countered with a pair of his own before McGee hit a basket with just under 1 1/2 minutes to play. Cousins made two free throws inside half a minute to again make it a five- point game, but Wilson Chandler was fouled going for a 3-pointer and made all three to make it a two-point game with 25.6 seconds to play. After Gay countered with two more, Chandler went for a layup, but it didnt fall and Collison came down with the rebound before making 1-of-2. McGee put home another basket to keep Denver in reach, but Collison made two more from the line and Afflalo missed a three at the other end to seal Denvers fate. Denver scored the final six points of the first quarter to take a 22-19 lead after 12 minutes, but Sacramento used a couple of runs in the second quarter to grab a 51-46 lead at the halftime break. A tightly played third quarter saw the lead go back and forth several times, but the Kings got six straight before Ty Lawson hit a bucket for Denver and Sacramento took a 79-77 lead into the final quarter. Game Notes Sacramento won two of three from Denver last season ... Sacramento shot 42 percent from the floor, compared to 38.7 percent by Denver ... There was 17 ties and 13 lead changes in the game. Gilbert Perreault Sabres Jersey . Former two-time Olympic gold medallist Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine in both her "A" and "B" samples, the German Olympic Committee said. Derek Roy Sabres Jersey . - Free agent defensive end Will Smith has signed with the New England Patriots. http://www.sabresteamstoreonline.com/authentic-rick-martin-sabres-jersey/ . But defending champion Elena Vesnina of Russia held off a strong challenge to beat Shuai Peng of China 6-3, 6-4, and there was another hard-fought victory for 2012 runner-up Angelique Kerber of Germany, who defeated Alison Riske of the United States 7-6 (6), 6-4.TORONTO – Randy Carlyle quietly called out his top line on Saturday morning and hardly anyone noticed. “We need our big guys to get going,” he said. “We have to have those guys going.” But unlike last season, this year’s version of the Maple Leafs hasn’t been solely dependent on Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk for offence and thus, success. They’ve gotten by just fine through the top unit’s dry spells, finding unlikely offence from sources like Leo Komarov, Mike Santorelli, David Clarkson and even the recently benched, Richard Panik. The Leafs had 10 different goal-scorers during the last four games alone, including five sources in a 6-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. “That’s huge,” van Riemsdyk said afterward. “You see all the teams that have success in the playoffs and make the playoffs, they’re teams that get contributions up and down their lineup. From lines one through four, we’ve got guys putting the puck in the net and that’s huge.” Simply put, a deeper and more balanced lineup has predictably been only a positive for the group in Toronto. They are currently the third-highest scoring team in hockey despite missing Joffrey Lupul for 12 games – he finished third on the team with 22 goals last season – and receiving less production from Nazem Kadri, who also had 20 goals and 50 points a year ago. In fact, the club has 13 players on pace for double-digit goal totals – 13 with at least three goals through 23 games – a dramatic reversal from last season when the club was mostly top line or bust with only seven players reaching double-figures all season. That group struggled mightily to score consistently when Kessel and company didn’t produce, especially down the stretch of another failed playoff drive. The Leafs are a deeper team this year, however, having dismissed scantly productive players like Jay McClement, Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren in favour of more skillful types like Santorelli, Panik and Peter Holland. Komarov and Santorelli have been the two biggest unexpected sources of offence. The two have teamed together all season, combining for seven goals and 29 points. “I don’t think you could say that Komarov and Santorelli were going to be our two checking wingers, but they were put together in that type of a role and they started to flourish offensively and that’s what the team needs,” Carlyle said. “You need a contribution from everybody.” Komarov, who left Saturday’s game after a hit from behind by Alex Ovechkin (more on that below), is easily the largest surprise. He mustered only four goals and nine points during his first NHL trial in 2013, busting through those marks in very short order this season. He sits second behind only Kessel with 13 even-strength points this season. Shooting better than 18 per cent, Clarkson too has come through with some offence, smashing last year’s paltry mark with seven goals already this season. Beyond the forwards is a defensive contingent that’s producing at an increased pace. Adding a goal each from Cody Franson and Morgan Rielly versus Washington, the Toronto blue line is now on pace for 43 goals and 185 points after totaling 35 and 159 last season. “Our team’s better when everyone’s going,” Bozak said after scoring twice, his 11 goals matching Kessel for the team lead. “There’s lots of nights where we don’t play very well and guys step up and score big goals and then there’s nights where we do play well. There’s always a line or two lines that step up at the right time.” Five Points 1. Top Line Beyond Bozak, who had scored in each of the previous two games, Carlyle wasn’t pleased with the performance of his top unit coming into Saturday’s game and he made sure to point it out before the game. “I just think they have to work as three guys,” he said Friday. “There’s got to be more support on the puck; [they’ve] got to be harder to play against; [they] can’t be one and out and [they need to] play with structure in the neutral ice – they’ll get a lot more pucks back [that way].” Kessel came into the night with only a single assist in the previous four games (and no goals), but he notched two alone on Saturday, including a deft find to Bozak on Toronto’s fifth goal. Van Riemsdyk came in point-less in three of the previous four, but he, too, dished off a pair of helpers, including the set-up on Bozak’s first of the game. “We know if we pick it up as a line that just adds a little more to our team,” said Kessel beforehand. Part of their recent struggles were directly tied to a power play that had just one goal in the previous six games. The Leafs scored three though with the man advantage on this night. “It was nice to see that our power play finally came to life and created some offence in the hockey game for us,” Carlyle said. 2. Bozak on the Power Play On pace for the best season of his NHL career, Bozak is up to 11 goals this year. The 28-year-old has scored six of those on the power play – tied for second-most in the NHL – quietly operating in the middle of the ice on Torontos first unit. He tapped in his second of the game from there on a pass from Kessel. “I just try to find soft spots in the middle of the ice,” he said. “Obviously when you’ve got guys out there like James, Phil, Naz, and Dion, a lot of attention is going to be on them, so I just try and slip under the radar and get to spots where guys aren’t.” “We’ve got so much familiarity with each other,” added van Riemsdyk. “We know where to go when the puck is in certain positions and it’s almost like second nature. It’s a bang-bang play. He made a great read, Phil made a great pass and that’s what we get when we spread the puck around.” Bozak leads the Leafs with nine power-play points. 3. Home-Ice Advantage? Saturday marked the first of five straight at the ACC for the Leafs, who now own an 8-6-0 record in Toronto this season. “We always want to make sure that our home record is one that gives us an opportunity to take a run at making the playoffs,” Carlyle said before the game. “Home-ice advantage is something we haven’t really developed yet. We’ve played better here as of lately, but we’re striving for excellence as everybody does at home. Dale Hawerchuk Sabres Jersey. ” But what advantage, if any, can a team gain from playing at home in hockey? In baseball and football, the benefits are obvious given the different dimensions and conditions of various fields, but how in hockey does a team ascertain added value when the rink is (more or less) the same across the league? Trevor Smith says it comes down to routine. “You sleep in your own bed,” he said. “You’re at home, you’re in your home city. You know what you’re going to get for your pre-game meal, all the preparation [beforehand] you know exactly what’s about to happen. You’re prepared mentally that way being at home, knowing what time to get to the rink. You’re in your home dressing room, it’s easy.” That routine, Smith says, changes only slightly on the road, but enough to force changes in habit. The morning skate, for example, is an hour later – 11:30am – on the road meaning the pre-game meal is just a tad later. And then there’s the matter of the bus. Because each hotel is a different distance to the rink – some are just across the street, some are as far as 30 minutes away – departure times can be just a tad different; as early as 4:15 p.m. and as late as 4:45 p.m. These sound like small matters, and they are, but they nonetheless require those all-important routines to stray slightly. “Routine during the season is huge,” Smith says. “Sometimes I feel like the first month of the summer, I’m lost. You don’t know what to do.” “You feel comfortable,” Carlyle added of the benefit of playing at home. “You’ve got the enthusiasm in the building. You feel comfortable in your own building. You feel that you’re never out of it in your own building. You’re always pushing the pace in your building. Your fans are your sixth player on the ice.” 4. Complete Game It was a conversation between two former London Knights early this season. Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan told Nazem Kadri that he wanted the 24-year-old to evolve into a more complete player and not just a “one-dimensional player”. “That’s something he wants me to do and that’s something I want for myself [and] I’ve wanted all along,” said Kadri, who noted Shanahan’s appreciation for his style of play. “I know my offence is going to be there. I know those goals are going to come, those assists are going to come, but it’s a matter of putting everything else together and still playing the right way when you’re not getting the greatest puck luck.” Kadri played his 200th-NHL game Saturday against the Capitals, setting up Clarkson on the Leafs fourth goal. Only recently turned 24, he’s taken incremental steps toward becoming a more complete player in what is only his third full NHL season. Amongst the worst in the league last season, he’s improved in the face-off circle – though he struggled badly on Saturday – and is making an effort toward becoming a more effective player in the defensive zone. “By all means, do I not have it figured out right now,” he said. “I’ve still got lots of learning to do and I’m doing the best I can every single day, whether it’s watching film or just practicing out there. It’s something that’s going to take some time, but for sure I feel like I’ve been way better in my own end, my face-offs have been a lot better. I think along with all that comes more ice-time, comes more responsibility, so all that stuff I’m just trying to earn.” 5. Fourth Forward Kadri was back on Toronto’s power-play unit against Washington after being removed just a few nights earlier in Pittsburgh. But rather than occupy his customary spot on the second unit, the Leafs opted to employ him on the point of the first grouping. That put him on the ice with Kessel, van Riemsdyk, Bozak and Dion Phaneuf. “The mindset with this is that we have possibly our top five offensive players on the ice,” said Carlyle. It’s an idea hatched by Steve Spott, who runs the Leafs power play and has used the four-forward look in the past while steering both the Marlies and Kitchener Rangers. The approach is designed to put a threat on both sides of the ice – Kessel on the left half-wall, Kadri on the right point. Kadri hadn’t played the point on the man advantage since his days with the Knights in junior and it showed early against the Capitals. His pass attempt to Phaneuf was nearly picked off on his very first power-play opportunity. Later, he stumbled and nearly toppled over, but generally Carlyle seemed to like the look – though he strayed from it in the final period. “What it did is we worked both sides of the ice with him [out there] and we spread them out,” said Carlyle. “Other than the one blip skating backwards when he almost fell down, I thought he did okay.” The Leaf power play, which was 1-23 in the previous six games, finished 3-4 against Washington. Injury Update Unsuspecting in the offensive zone, Komarov was clipped by the right elbow of Ovechkin in the third frame. “I thought it was kind of ‘Oops, I hit you on purpose,” said Carlyle of the hit. Komarov remained on the bench briefly before exiting for the dressing room. The 27-year-old didn’t “feel good” after the hit, but had improved after the game and underwent league protocol consistent with concussions. There was no further update on his status afterward. Stats-Pack 9-0-0 – Leafs record when scoring first. 13 – Number of Leafs with at least three goals. 6 – Power-play goals for Tyler Bozak, tied for second in the NHL. 3.30 – Goals per game for Toronto, third-best in the league. Special Teams Capsule PP: 3-4 Season: 21.2% PK: 2-3 Season: 83.5% Quote of the Night “Maybe we should go buy the [Lotto] 649 tonight and get 23, 23, 23, because it’s worth $25 million. I won’t be here Monday, then.” -Randy Carlyle, on the odd series of 23’s on a night where Pat Quinn, who wore 23 as a Leaf, was recognized in a pre-game ceremony. Cody Franson scored with 23 seconds left in the first. Tyler Bozak scored 23 seconds into the second. David Clarkson scored 23 seconds after Washington scored their first goal. And the Leafs, well, they finished with 23 shots on goal. Up Next The Leafs host Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. ' ' '

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata empathises with those who believe football has become too commercialised and claims he would take a pay cut if the game was less business-orientated. Willie Roaf Jersey . The Spain international concedes he is not comfortable with the corporate side of the game and he believes some young players become arrogant after turning professional.The business side of football makes it seem as though the owners are now more important than the fans, Mata said in a Spanish television interview. Juan Mata, left, was part of the Spain squad that won the World Cup in 2010 Every player thinks hes Diego Maradona when he joins a big club. That happens to all of us but then you notice it in the younger players.You see kids who think theyre rock stars; wearing extravagant clothes and driving flash cars... sometimes you have to take them aside and have a word.I dont enjoy the business side of football. I love the game. I love training and competing.Id take a pay cut if there was less business involvement in the sport. Compared to the rest of society, we earn a ridiculous amount. Its unfathomable. Juan Mata on footballers wages The 27-year-old also believes football players have become detached from the fans because of their astonishing earnings.Mata moved to Old Trafford from Chelsea for around £37m in 2014 and is believed to earn around £150,000 per week.And he has drawn comparisons between the wages of top footballers and others in society who have to deal with harsh economic reality throughout the world. Mata has said he dislikes the business side of football Football is very well remunerated at this level. Its like we live in a bubble. Compared to the rest of society, we earn a ridiculous amount. Its unfathomable, Mata said.With respect to the world of football, I earn a normal wage. But compared to 99.9 per cent of Spain and the rest of the world, I earn a silly amount. Also See: Rooney wants to follow Scholes Mourinho will replace LVG Carrick not getting carried away Giggs handed PFA Merit Award Sam Mills Jersey . He was with the New York Jets in 2011 when the NFL locked out their players after they failed to agree on a new contract. Willy went undrafted but was given a look by four NFL teams before heading north. Morten Andersen Youth Jersey . Wawrinka, who is seeded fourth, is in the top half of the draw with Serbian Novak Djokovic. The Swiss star outlasted Djokovic in a five-set quarterfinal thriller last year and stunned Spaniard Rafael Nadal in the final to capture his first-ever Grand Slam title. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Thomas-Morstead-Jersey/ . Jeff Carter had two goals and an assist as the Kings stretched their streak to seven wins in a row with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday.Each week, TSN.ca Fantasy Editor Scott Cullen and NFL Editors Ben Fisher and Mitch Ward discuss three hot fantasy football topics. With three straight top-5 QB performances, is Andy Dalton a legitimate QB1? Scott Cullen: I have to say yes. Hes tied for fourth in touchdown passes, with 16, and is fourth in passing yardage (2249). Even if you dont believe that necessarily makes him the fourth-best quarterback in the game, hes easily productive enough to fit in the Top 10. He also has lots of weapons at his disposal. Wide receiver A.J. Green is one of the best, but second-year wideout Marvin Jones, rookie tight end Tyler Eifert and rookie running back Giovani Bernard have all upgraded the Bengals offence. Ben Fisher: Im in favour of riding out a hot streak and think Dalton should be started every week until he comes back down to Earth, but I dont think the third-year Bengal will finish the year as a Top 10 scorer at QB. Dalton is currently just outside the Top 5 QBs in total scoring in most formats but hasnt yet had his bye week. In terms of average points per game Dalton is much closer to 10th with a number of higher ceiling QBs ranked lower that, should they find their stride, could pass Dalton by years end. Mitch Ward: Yes. I wouldnt say he is top-5 but definitely top-10 right now. He has three straight games with at least 325 yards and three touchdowns including a career-best five touchdown passes last week. The Bengals passing game is no longer AJ Green against the world. Dalton now has several nice options like Gio Bernard and Tyler Eifert to complement Green who is one of the top four or five receivers in the league. Thats a recipe for success. With Percy Harvin nearing a return, what are his fantasy prospects for the rest of the season? Cullen: My guess is that, for the next three games, Harvin may not be anything special, due to a long layoff and still questions about how ready he might be to play. But, with Sidney Rice done for the season, the Seahawks could really use him and coming out of their bye week, in Week 13, when their first two games will be against New Orleans and San Francisco, Harvin ought to play a significant role, enough to be a WR1. Admittedly, that requires some projection since he has yet to play this season. Fisher: As good as they were the last time he was healthy, maybe better. Harvin was a Top 10 receiver in 2011, the last yeear he put in a full season, and should return to that elite group again for the rest of this year. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Womens Jersey. Its hard to know exactly how the Seahawks will use Harvin compared to his role with the Vikings the past three years, but one thing I do know is that Russell Wilson is better than Christian Ponder, Joe Webb, and an over-the-hill Donovan McNabb. Ward: I love Percy Harvin and fully expect him to be the No. 1 receiver the Seahawks traded for. I just dont think its fair to expect instant production given the injury he suffered and the amount of time hes been away. Its likely going to take a few weeks for harvin to get up to game speed and the Seahawks are clearly not going to try and force his recovery. Id consider him more of a FLEX until he gets a few games under his belt, but come fantasy playoffs time I think he could be a major difference maker. Coming off a four-TD performance is Marvin Jones a legitimate fantasy receiver? Cullen: During the bye weeks, at the very least, Jones should be considered. Its hard to overlook 122 yards and four touchdowns, no matter who puts it up, but Jones has been trending in this direction. He benefits from defences focusing on A.J. Green and, in the previous two games, for example, Jones accumulated seven catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns and with the Bengals offence heating up, Jones is at least viable as a FLEX play until the Bengals passing game slows down. Fisher: Even before Jones breakout Week 8 he was seeing an uptick in targets. Now he will certainly have the confidence of QB Andy Dalton after catching all eight of his targets, four of which went for scores. I doubt hell ever put up another stat line like he did last week but its not out of question to expect 60-80 receiving yards minimum per week and a score every once and again – good enough WR2 numbers for me. Ward: Jones is certainly on the FLEX radar and is a bona fide redzone target, but Im not sold on him to provide week-in, week-out production yet. Yes he has scored in three straight weeks and had eight catches for 122 yards in his four-score game against the Jets. But he only played 19 snaps in that game and has only been on the field for roughly one third of the Bengals offensive plays over the last three weeks. Until he starts to see more snaps Id be wary of thinking Jones is much more than a FLEX or low-end, boom-or-bust WR3. ' ' '

New York, NY (SportsNetwork. Yeezy Powerphase Sverige .com) - Darrun Hilliard scored 21 points and No. 8 Villanova downed No. 24 St. Johns, 90-72, at a lively Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. The Big East Top-25 clash had a March feel with fans of both schools providing plenty of energy in the back-and-forth battle. The Wildcats (14-1, 2-1 Big East) silenced the Red Storm supporters down the stretch, however, and recovered nicely from their first loss of the season. Daniel Ochefu led a dominant frontcourt effort that owned a commanding 40-21 rebounding advantage. Ochefu finished with 13 points and 12 boards, while Dylan Ennis added 15 and nine for the victors. DAngelo Harrison led St. Johns (11-4, 0-3) with 25 points, while Phil Greene IV netted 14 in the clubs third straight loss. The Red Storm went 11-1 in non-conference play before falling to Seton Hall, Butler and now Villanova over the past week. The Wildcats also fell to Seton Hall last Saturday in overtime, and they were in another close battle before taking over late. The game was tied, 54-54, with under 12 minutes to play, and Villanova started its surge with seven straight points. Harrison took an elbow to the mouth during that stretch and was tended to on the sideline. He quickly returned but was not as effective from the point on. Hilliards 3-pointer and two free throws gave the Wildcats a 61-54 lead, and points off the offensive glass helped them stay ahead. Josh Harts rebound off a missed free throw led to a Kris Jenkins 3-pointer, and another board stemming from an errant free throw resulted in an Ochefu putback dunk that gave Nova a 68-59 cushion with 7 1/2 minutes to go. Another Ochefu layup off an offensive board made it a double-digit game, and the Wildcats cruised over the final six minutes. The spread was no more than six points in the first half, which ended with St. Johns holding a tenuous 35-34 lead. Game Notes The Wildcats made 55.7 percent of their shots, including 10-of-23 from 3-point rage ... Villanova has won the last six meetings ... Villanovas bench outscored St. Johns reserves 25-7 ... Ryan Arcidiacono totaled nine points and eight assists for Nova. NMD R1 Skor . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks. Yeezy Skor Rea . The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists detailed in a report how Russian and international journalists have been harassed and prevented from covering sensitive stories in Sochi such as the abuse of migrant workers and environmental issues. http://www.yeezyssverige.com/nmd-sverige.html . Malone will become an unrestricted free-agent and as per the collective bargaining agreement, the Lightning will be responsible for two-thirds of the remainder of his contract over twice the length of the rest of the deal. BALTIMORE -- A two-game series that was scheduled to end Wednesday stretched into early Friday morning before Matt Wieters finally put an end to the rain-marred interleague matchup between the Pirates and Orioles. Wieters led off the 10th inning with a home run off Stolmy Pimentel to give Baltimore a 6-5 victory and a doubleheader sweep Thursday night. In the opener, Steve Pearce had three hits and two RBIs in his return to the Orioles, who got a home run from Nick Markakis in a 5-1 win. The single-admission doubleheader followed consecutive rainouts Tuesday and Wednesday. The rain lingered long enough to delay the fifth inning of the opener by 21 minutes, and the start of the nightcap was stalled 46 minutes by rain. The second game lasted 3 hours, 57 minutes. By the time it ended, the clock had ticked well past midnight. "Its not a late night, its an early morning," said Orioles reliever Darren ODay, who pitched in both games. As ODay spoke, the team had 30 minutes to get ready for a trip to Minnesota for a three-game series that was to begin Friday night. "It will be a happy flight," ODay said, "so that will make it a little easier." The second game marked the season debut of Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, who had left knee surgery in October. After sitting out the opener, Machado received a warm ovation from the crowd of 28,290 before the second game and went 0 for 5. Baltimore trailed 4-0 in the nightcap before rallying with a four-run sixth. Adam Jones doubled in a run and scored on a single by Wieters before Pearce chased starter Brandon Cumpton with a double to right. Bryan Morris entered and yielded a two-run double to J.J. Hardy. Starling Marte countered with an RBI single in the seventh for Pittsburgh, but Markakis tied it in the bottom half with a solo shot off Morris. Wieters won it in the 10th with a drive to right off Pimentel (2-1) that soared just inside the foul pole. Tommy Hunter (1-0) got two outs for the win. Earlier, Baltimore ace Chris Tillman struggled through a 49-pitch first inning that could be attributed in part to a seven-day layoff. The right-hander issued three walks, two with the bases loaded, before getting three outs. Pittsburgh ended Tillmans outing in the fifth when Andrew McCutchen doubled and scored on a triple by Gaby Sanchez for a 3-0 lead. Pedro Alvarez had four hits for the Pirates, finishing a home run short of the cycle. But Pittsburgh stranded 15 and went 5 for 16 with runners in scoring pposition and lost for the 15th time in 19 games. NMD R2 Sverige. "We keep fighting and fighting, and we put ourselves in scoring position and we havent been able to cash in the way we need to," manager Clint Hurdle said. "But we keep showing up. The bats were better throughout the series. ... We had men on base throughout the game, and still looking for that big hit." The first game was all about Pearce, designated for assignment by Baltimore on April 22 and released five days later. After turning down an offer from Toronto, the first baseman was re-signed Monday after Chris Davis went on the 15-day disabled list. Pearce singled in the third, fifth and sixth innings of the opener and was solid in the field. "Stevie gave us a real lift," manager Buck Showalter said. Alvarez had two hits and an RBI for the Pirates, who stranded 13 and went 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position. The defeat ended Pittsburghs nine-game road winning streak in interleague play. Trailing 1-0 when the rain stopped play, Baltimore regrouped during the break and sent nine batters to the plate in a three-run fifth. After a single, walk and an error loaded the bases against Charlie Morton (0-4), Pearce hit an RBI single and Ryan Flaherty grounded an opposite-field, two-run single to left field. Pearce singled in a run in the sixth, and Markakis hit his first homer of the season in the seventh for a 5-1 lead. Orioles starter Bud Norris (2-2) allowed one run in 5 1-3 innings, and Hunter got the last out with runners on second and third for his seventh save. Morton started well but came unhinged after the rain delay and lost his fourth consecutive start. The right-hander permitted four runs, two earned, and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings. "I kept grooving fast balls to Steve Pearce and he kept putting good swings on them," Morton lamented. NOTES: Pittsburgh returns home to face Toronto on Friday night. ... Orioles LHP Troy Patton returned from a 25-game suspension before the second game. Baltimore also activated Machado from the DL, and optioned INF Steve Lombardozzi and RHP Josh Stinson to Triple-A Norfolk. ... The last time Pittsburgh played a doubleheader on the road was in July 2011, at Washington. ... Pirates LHP Wandy Rodriguez (right knee inflammation) allowed three runs and four hits over 3 1-3 innings in a rehabilitation assignment for Double-A Altoona against Erie. ... Baltimores rainout against Tampa Bay on April 15 was rescheduled as part of a split doubleheader on June 27. ' ' '

SAINT JOHN, N. Steve Yzerman Jersey .B. -- A pair of quick wins for Canadas Rachel Homan at the Ford World Womens Curling Championship on Monday allowed the host country to both regain their confidence and conserve energy for later in the tournament. Allison Pottinger of the United States shook hands after just six ends when Canada held a commanding 9-3 lead. Homan and her Ottawa Curling Club team downed Denmarks Madeleine Dupont 8-4 earlier in a game than went eight ends. "Its definitely nice to get some rest after playing some shorter games," Homan said. "Its nice to get some extra rest when you can." Canada was tied for second at 4-1 with Swedens Margaretha Sigfridsson behind unbeaten Binia Feltscher of Switzerland at 5-0. The logjam of countries at 3-2 included the U.S., Chinas Liu Sijia, Russias Anna Sidorova and South Koreas Ji-sun Kim. Scotlands Kerry Barr was 2-3 ahead of Denmark, Latvias Evita Regza and Germany Oona Lehmann at 1-4. The Czech Republics Anna Kubeskova was winless in five games. The top four teams at the conclusion of playoffs Thursday advance to the playoffs. Homan felt she had a read on the ice at Harbour Station by Monday night having played on all four sheets and in the morning, afternoon and evening draws. Another reason the abbreviated game against the U.S. on Monday evening was welcomed by Canada is because they are right back on the ice Tuesday morning against Latvia before facing Scotland in the evening. Homan, vice Emma Miskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle won the bronze medal at last years world curling championship in Riga, Latvia, after starting 2-3 there. Monday was a big bounce for the Canadians after demoralizing loss to the Swiss the previous day, when it was Canada giving up four points in steals and shaking hands after eight ends. Homan felt their communication was missing in that game. The skip misread the ice early against the Americans, but the Canadians were able to solve it via discussion. "Lisa was missing a couple early and she said is it me? I said no, its completely my ice. So she believed in how she was throwing," Homan explained. "If we didnt have that communication, she would have tried to change the way she was throwing and Id give her more ice and shed miss again. "We made sure when we were missing we knew why and were communicating that to each other." Pottinger was born in Brampton, Ont., and learned to curl in Otterburn Park, Que., but the 40-year-old is representing the U.S. for the 11th time at the womens world championship. She won a silver medal playing third for Patti Lank, another transplanted Canadian from Midale, Sask., when the world championship was last held in Saint John, N.B., in 1999. "Everyone is always so nice when were here. A woman today brought me ketchup chips and Smarties," Pottinger said of two items that are difficult to find in the U.S. "Its terrific. I had them between games." Pottinger made a clutch raise against four Canadian stones in the third end to score a point and trail 2-1, but the fourth end was disastrous for the Americans. With Canada laying two, Pottinger ticked on a guard to let Homan add another counter to the rings. The American skip attempted to draw through a port to get to the four-foot rings, but was well short of the house. Homan had half the house for a target and drew in for four points and a 6-1 lead in front of 1,914 at Harbour Station. "We threw it pretty hard, but just out there in the frost it didnt have a chance," Pottinger said. "It never got there." The Americans got two back in the fifth, but called it a day when Homan collected another three in the sixth. "To get the two back was kind of nice, but at that point every end is the 10th end," Pottinger said. "You dont want them to get away from you and its hard to play five 10th ends against that kind of team." "That was so not good that I think its an off game and you forget about it. Chuck it in the bag." Homan and her teammates are all under the age of 28. Like the Brad Jacobs team that won the mens Olympic gold last month, theyre considered the new generation of Canadian curling stars. A year after graduating from the junior ranks, Homans team made the playoffs in their first national womens championship in 2011. They won the Canadian title last year by beating Winnipegs Jennifer Jones, now the reigning Olympic womens gold medallist after her unbeaten run in Sochi. Homan and company were considered a team to beat at Decembers Olympic trials along with Jones. Homan and her teammates either quit their jobs, took a leave or scaled back work hours in the months leading into those trials to prepare. They rented a suite in Winnipeg away from the MTS Centre so they could cook and eat their own meals during the competition. But Homan lost the semifinal 10-4 to Sherry Middaugh. Homans coach Earle Morris now wonders in hindsight if they "over-prepared" for trials. "I think what we did was we probably practised a bit too much," he said. "A couple of the girls quit their jobs, one of the girls took a leave of absence. They really made it a focused priority and maybe we focused too much on the trials. "We really tried to leave no stone unturned. Because it was our first trials, we prepared as best we could based on what we thought would be difference-makers. If we had to do it again, wed probably do it a little differently. Take maybe a more relaxed approach and not emphasize it too much." The best medicine for their trials disappointment was to participate in the Continental Cup in Las Vegas in January. They played with Jones, Jacobs and other top North American teams in a Ryder-Cup style competition against European curling teams. "We all re-connected with the sport," Miskew said. "It was really tough after the trials to feel a love for curling. "We were able to go out and enjoy the sport again. Before that, it was practising without much of a purpose because it feels weird after you put so much time into something. It changed when we went there and it felt better." That experience set the table for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Montreal, where Homan went 13-0 en route to a second straight Canadian title and a return trip to the world championship. "Continental Cup was perfect," Homan said. "We played mixed, mixed doubles and it was just a lot of fun." "We definitely needed it. We got to press the re-set button and focus again for the Scotties." Luke Glendening Red Wings Jersey . Solomon Elimimian did not make the trip with the team after suffering what appeared to be a right leg injury in the teams regular season finale against the Calgary Stampeders. Detroit Red Wings Jerseys . -- The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena to a $25 million, five-year contract Saturday. http://www.redwingshockeyauthentic.com/danny-dekeyser-jersey/ . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., who trains out of San Diego, will fight bantamweight champion (Rowdy) Ronda Rousey on July 5 in the co-main event of UFC 175 in Las Vegas.SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Keeping pace in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage just got a lot harder for the Montreal Impact. Montreal fell 3-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday, and now need a big victory next week over CD Heredia to stay alive. "Weve done it before," said Impact forward Andrew Wenger. "We feel we can still make a statement." Goals from Chris Wondolowski, Marvin Chavez and Shea Salinas allowed the Earthquakes (1-2-0) to draw level with the Impact (1-2-0) in their group. Montreal featured a strong starting 11, but the visitors couldnt capitalize on their own offensive chances at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Impact, coming off a 2-1 loss against Columbus in MLS action last weekend, allowed a pair of key defensive miscues for San Jose to capture its first CCL victory. "We had the better of the play," said forward Andrew Wenger, "but we just werent sharp on many instances in the back and in the attacking third and that made the difference. We switched off at a couple of key times." The odds are against Montreal as Heredia sits atop the table with six points. The Impact have to beat the Guatemalan side next Tuesday and then need a narrow victory by San Jose against Heredia to advance. A win or tie in Montreal secures Group 5 for Heredia and a trip to next springs knockout rounds. "Weve been in this situation before just to get into the tournament," said Montreal captain Davy Arnaud. "We needed a big result against Toronto at home and it seems like we are going to need the same thing this Tuesday. Its good to know that we have done it before in a tough game, and there is no reason we cant do it again." Before that, the Impact play host on Saturday to the Vancouver Whitecaps as Montreal hopes to continue its push to the MLS playoffs. Only after that bit of business will the Impact look ahead the visit of Heredia. The teams trading good scoring chances during a cagey 10 minutes to start the match as Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush made a foot save on Steven Lenharts seventh-minute glancing header and defender Jason Hernandez made a sliding block on Wengers eighth-minute blast. The Earthquakes broke the deadlock in the 21st minute through a long throw-in by defender Dan Gargan deep in the Impact half of the field. Lenhart met the ball for an uncontested flick-on header at the edge of the six-yard box that reached Wondolowski for the simplest of taap-ins and a 1-0 advantage. Jonathan Ericsson Jersey. Arnaud picked up a yellow card in the 23rd minute for a take down of Earthquakes midfielder Chavez on a counterattack, but San Jose could not capitalize on the restart. A 30-yard free-kick attempt from Patrice Bernier 10 minutes later forced David Bingham into his first save of the night. Hassoun Camara, trying to earn his team a chance at an equalizer in the 35th minute, appeared to have been tripped by Justin Morrow in the Earthquakes penalty box, but Honduran referee Armando Castro instead issued Camara a yellow card for embellishment. Twice in the last 10 minutes of the first half the Impact had solid chances to find an equalizer. In the 38th minute, a well-placed cross from Wenger found forward partner Daniele Paponi near the penalty spot, but he one-timed his shot well wide of the intended target. A stoppage time foray by Arnaud deep along the left touchline gave the Impact captain plenty of space to blast a cross through the six-yard box, but an alert Morrow was present to clear the ball off the goal-line and prevent Justin Mapp from drawing Montreal level. The Earthquakes doubled their lead in the 57th minute through a brilliant shot from Chavez. After Bernier had weakly cleared a ball from within the Montreal box, Chavez collected with his right foot and volleyed with his left foot a shot out of the reach of Bush and into the upper corner of the net to put San Jose up 2-0. A yellow card earned for kicking a dead ball out of bounds by Andres Romero in the 62nd minute signalled the Impacts growing frustration. Needing more firepower on offence, the Impact introduced Felipe for Arnaud in the 63rd minute and Marco Di Vaio for Paponi in the 64th minute. Speedster Sanna Nyassi subbed in for Arnaud 10 minutes later. The changes spurred more in the attacking third from Montreal, but it also left them vulnerable to the counterattack. The home side capitalized in the 84th minute when second-half substitute Salinas powered a shot past through the legs of Bush from close range to push the San Jose lead to 3-0. Montreal never recovered and fell to its second straight CCL defeat. "Through the run of play, we had the better chances," said Arnaud. "When you go on the road and play against a team like San Jose, you cant afford to give up set piece goals. We created enough tonight and played well enough tonight not to walk out of here losing 3-0." ' ' '

BERLIN -- Arjen Robben and Thomas Mueller struck in extra time for Bayern Munich to beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the German Cup final on Saturday, giving their side the double in Pep Guardiolas first season in charge. Mitch Wishnowsky Jersey . Robben scored in the 107th minute when Jerome Boateng intercepted Roman Weidenfellers throw out for Kevin Grosskreutz, and then crossed for the Dutchman at the far post. It set up a frenetic finale with Dortmund pushing for the equalizer that would have taken the game to penalties. Marco Reus came agonizingly close to equalizing in the final minute when his shot was deflected just over. Mueller then rounded Weidenfeller to wrap up the win in extra time injury time. Dortmund might have been awarded a goal in the second half. Mats Hummels thought hed scored with a header but Dante cleared on or behind the line. The score wasnt awarded though TV replays suggested the ball crossed the line. "If that goal from Dortmund was awarded it would have changed everything," Guardiola acknowledged. Bayern avenged its humiliating 5-2 loss to Dortmund in the 2012 final with its record 16th German Cup final win. "The most important thing is that we won. Its always something special. We took a lot of flak in the last weeks," Bayern captain Philipp Lahm said, referring to criticism after its Champions League loss to Real Madrid and drop of form after claiming the Bundesliga title with a record seven games to spare. Both sides effectively nullified the others attacking threat. Robben posed Bayerns biggest danger going forward but was dealt with adequately by Hummels or thwarted at the last by Weidenfeller, who made crucial saves. Robert Lewandowski, playing his last game for Dortmund before joining Bayern on July 1, was kept in check by Boateng and Dante, with Javi Martinez also helping out in the Bavarian sides defence. Bayern, which beat Stuttgart in last years final, created marginally the better chances in the first half. Franck Ribery, who came on for the injured Lahm, crossed for Mueller at the beginning of the second half only for Weidenfeller to save from close range. Reus struck the crossbar with a deflected free kick, though Manuel Neuer, playing in his fourth consecutive German Cup final, had it covered. Dortmund was then left to rue Hummels "goal" that wasnt given. "Well still celebrate because it was a great season," Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp said. Bayern players celebrated the clubs 10th league and cup double by hoisting Guardiola high in the air and dousing each other in beer. "I dont particularly like the beer showers but thats how it is," said Guardiola, who was drenched by Dante. Boateng said the players would "celebrate without end. Weve won the double in my hometown. There are no words for it. Compliments to Dortmund, they made it very difficult. But in the end, we had the bigger chances and we deserved it." San Francisco 49ers Jerseys China . Bradley is one of eight players selected to the team who also played in this years World Cup in Brazil. The MLS all-stars will compete against German giants Bayern Munich in Portland on Aug. Steve Young Jersey . The rest of the team was already on the field stretching before batting practice while Puig was getting dressed in the clubhouse. He had been slated to start in right field for the afternoon game against the San Francisco Giants, who beat the Dodgers 8-4. http://www.cheap49ersjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-roger-craig-jersey . But this time, the Gunners weathered the storm. Arsene Wengers team was on the ropes in the early stages of a lively FA Cup tie, until Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored a goal against the run of the play.Melbourne, Australia - Five-time champion Serena Williams will play Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium in her first-round match at the Australian Open, which will commence Monday in Melbourne. Williams is seeking her first Aussie title in five years. From 2003 to 2010, she won five crowns, beating five former No. 1 stars in all of those finals (Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Maria Sharapova, Dinara Safina and Justine Henin, respectively). But Serena Williams hasnt gotten past the quarters in Melbourne since the 10 championship, including a fourth-round loss a year ago. She is looking for her 19th Grand Slam singles title. The world No. 1 great could meet former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals and Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the semifinals following Fridays release of the draw. Wozniacki, the No. 8 seed, faces American Tayllor Townsend in the opening round, while Kvitova, seeded fourth, goes against a qualifier. Cheap 49ers Jerseys. Last years Aussie runner-up Dominika Cibulkova, Jelena Jankovic, Victoria Azarenka, Venus Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska are also in the top half of the draw. In the bottom half, reigning French Open titlist Sharapova, who plays a qualifier in the first round, could meet last years Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard in the quarterfinals and former Aussie runner-up Ana Ivanovic in the semifinals. Bouchard, seeded seventh, plays German Anna-Lena Friedsam in the first round, while Ivanovic goes against a qualifier. Simona Halep, Ekaterina Makarova and Angelique Kerber are also in the bottom half of the draw. Li Na, the defending champion, retired toward the end of last season, opening the way for a new Aussie champ in 2015. 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ST. Cheap Kerry Wood Jersey . LOUIS -- A week ago, Jaroslav Halak couldnt wait to get off the ice and find a place to hide. Hed been no relief at all after replacing Brian Elliott in net in New Jersey and was embarrassed along with the rest of St. Louis Blues. "I can speak for myself: I was hoping the game was over after the second period," Halak said. The bad taste is all gone now. Alexander Steen gave the Blues the early lead and Halak earned his fourth shutout of the season and was the games first star in a 3-0 victory over the Devils on Tuesday night. New Jersey had 23 shots, the same as it needed in a 7-1 rout at home last week, but, this time, had nothing to show for it. "It was weird, going to New York and getting back and playing Jersey again," Halak said. "It was a good thing we got it over with and we didnt have to wait." Brenden Morrow added a power-play goal midway through the third period and Maxim Lapierre scored into an empty net with 2:08 left. Patrik Berglund assisted on both third-period scores. "I think the more we learn from those types of games the better, because thats never a good recipe when youre chasing games," Morrow said. "Good teams stay with their structure, stay with their system and let that roll over and get back into the game that way, and I think we learned our lesson there." The Blues have won three straight and moved a point ahead of the Blackhawks, who played later at Calgary, for the Central Division lead. St. Louis cleaned up on defence a week after getting whipped in New Jersey when Halak allowed four goals in 14 shots after relieving Elliott. Halak has started all three games since that setback, allowing a total of four goals. Hes 7-1-1 in his last nine starts with a 1.77 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. The Devils mustered little offensively coming off a 7-3 loss to the Rangers at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. They were shut out for the sixth time, although this was the first time in 35 games. "Well, we didnt have many chances to score, but they played great tight defence and we had nothing," said forward Jaromir Jagr, held to two shots. "We had chances but not 100 per cent chances." The Devils have the NHLs second-best power play but were 0 for 5 against Halak. "Two totally different games," coach Peter DeBoer said. "Both goaltenders were very good. I dont think that was the case last week in New Jersey." The Blues are an NHL-best 17-3-1 against the Eastern Conference, and 9-0 at home. Steen was the NHLs second-leading goal scorer in late December before missing 11 games with a concussion. Hes been back six games and has a point in the last five with three goals and four assists. "He is a very dynamic player," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "For him to get to the elite level where he was before, I think he just has to learn to get back to the right balance between reward and risk. "He had an unbelievable balance of reward and risk going before he got hurt." Halak and Brian Elliott have combined for seven shutouts this season. Halak has won four straight starts with two shutouts this month, and holds the franchise mark with 20 shutouts in four seasons. Morrow deflected a waist-high shot past Cory Schneider for his eighth goal and first point in nine games, capitalizing on a tripping call against Bryce Salvador. St. Louis killed off Roman Polaks high-sticking penalty just nine seconds into the game, and then took the lead on Steens 27th goal at 3:25. Steen scored his 100th goal in six seasons with St. Louis scoring from the slot on an odd-man rush with assists by Jaden Schwartz and David Backes. Alex Pietrangelo took a holding call foiling a break-in by Stephen Gionta late in the period and, again, the St. Louis penalty killers came through. The Blues Vladimir Sobotka hit the goal post on an odd-man rush with just under five minutes to go. The Devils played in St. Louis for the first time since Nov. 20, 2010, a 3-2 Blues victory. NOTES: NFL Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf, who recently retired from broadcasting, wore a Blues jersey with his number 72 while watching from a private box. ... New Jersey is 5-16-3 when trailing after two periods. ... Jagr had totalled two goals and four assists the previous four games. ... Steen has seven game-winners in 41 games this season. The previous two seasons, he totalled six game-winners in 83 games. Cheap Fergie Jenkins Jersey . The hard-serving 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., became the first Canadian to be ranked in the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour thanks to his runner-up performance at Rogers Cup in Montreal. Cheap Ryne Sandberg Jersey . With the suspension, Nigeria is unable to take part in any kind of international fixtures. FIFA had issued a warning to the NFF last week after the federation was served with court proceedings from the government that prevented the NFFs president from running the NFFs day-to-day affairs. http://www.cheapcubsjerseysshop.com/?tag=cheap-kosuke-fukudome-jersey . Even that couldnt slow them down against the New Orleans Hornets. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 31 points apiece and the Thunder overcame injuries to two key backups to beat New Orleans 101-93 Monday night for their 10th straight home win.A Jets winger flying high, strong Senators goaltending and a Bruins defenceman stepping up when needed; lineup news, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES Evander Kane – The Jets left winger returned to action last week and delivered his best game of the season last night against Pittsburgh. He notched a Gordie Howe Hat Trick (goal, assist, fight against Penguins D Simon Despres), and generated 13 shot attempts, with six shots on goal in Winnipeg’s 4-3 shootout loss to Pittsburgh. Craig Anderson – The Ottawa goaltender moved into the league lead with a .948 save percentage following his 35-save shutout against Minnesota. It was the fourth time this season that the Wild, who have a 7-5 record, have lost a game while outshooting their opponent by double digits. Dougie Hamilton – Taking on a bigger role on the injury-ravaged Boston blueline, Hamilton led the Bruins to a 5-2 win over Edmonton, tallying a goal and two assists. Hamilton has 10 points in 15 games this season, playing a career-high 22:51 per game, and his 57.2% Corsi is best among Boston’s regulars on the blueline (minimum 100 5-on-5minutes). Bruins Blueline Regulars BRUINS D CORSI% CORSIREL% Dougie Hamilton 57.2% +4.3% Zdeno Chara 56.7% +2.6% Torey Krug 54.3% +1.6% Dennis Seidenberg 53.9% -0.8% Adam McQuaid 50.5% -6.3% ZEROES Senators Second Line – It was during a 3-0 win, so there are likely some score effects involved, but Ottawa’s line of LW Milan Michalek, C Mika Zibanejad and RW Alex Chiasson was locked in its own end against Minnesota. Michalek(1 shot attempts for, 13 against, 7.1%) was worst of the bunch, followed by Zibanejad (1 for, 12 against, 7.7%) and Chiasson (2 for, 11 against, 15.4%). Zibanejad, Michalek and fellow Sens forwards David Legwand and Mark Stone did not register a single shot attempt between them. Stars Not Shining – Veteran C Shawn Horcoff and LW Erik Cole were boxed into their own zone against Nashville, with Horcoff (5 for, 23 against, 17.9%) and Cole (4 for, 18 against, 18.2%) running into the most trouble when matched against the Predators’ top line of C Mike Ribeiro, LW Filip Forsberg and RW James Neal. Mikael Granlund – Despite starting 87.5% of his even-strength shifts in the offensive zone at Ottawa, the Wild centre was held without a single shot attempt in 19:30 of ice time. SHORT SHIFTS Blues RW Vladimir Tarasenko and LW Jaden Schwartz each had a goal and an assist at New Jersey. Tarasenko now has eight goals and 11 points in the past six games…Bruins C Carl Soderberg and RW Loui Eriksson and RW Reilly Smith each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over Edmonton. Soderberg is Boston’s leading scorer, with 12 points in 15 games…Penguins agitator Steve Downie had a goal and an assist in 8:52 of ice time and C Brandon Sutter had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 shootout win at Winnipeg…Senators rookie LW Mike Hoffman had a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win over Minnesota. Hoffman’s 12.82 shots per 60 minutes is far-and-away best on the Sens. With a goal and an assist at Colorado, Maple Leafs RW Phil Kessel is within one point of Penguins C Sidney Crosby and Flyers RW Jakub Voracek for the league scoring lead…Islanders G Chad Johnson stopped 28 of 29 shots in a 2-1 shootout win at Los Angeles…Canucks G Ryan Miller stopped 34 of 36 shots in a 3-2 win at San Jose…Kings LW Marian Gaborik was held without a shot attempt in 16:47 vs. the Islanders. LINEUP NEED TO KNOW Justin Williams – Los Angeles’ possession ace is dealing with an eye injury, so the Kings inserted Jordan Nolan to the top line, with Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik, against the Islanders. Paul Stastny – Returned to the Blues lineup for his first game in three weeks and didn’t register a shot attempt in 15:37 of ice time, playing mostly with Alexander Steen and Joakim Lindstrom, at New Jersey. Cheap Sammy Sosa Jersey. Morgan Rielly – The second-year rearguard was a healthy scratch in Colorado Thursday, making room for rookie Stuart Percy in the lineup. Jake Gardiner – The Maple Leafs defenceman suffered a bone bruise on his knee after blocking a shot, and was forced to leave after playing 2:55 at Colorado. As a result, Dion Phaneuf played 31:07, his most in a regular-season game since January 26, 2013. Roman Polak played 28:12, his highest time on ice since January 2, 2009. Daniel Winnik – A recent addition to Toronto’s top line, Winnik lasted one shift at Colorado before falling awkwardly after a neutral zone hit and requiring a stretcher to leave the ice. With Winnik out, the Leafs gave Leo Komaro and Richard Panik opportunities to play with Kessel and Nazem Kadri. Ryane Clowe – The Devils winger left Thursday night’s game against St. Louis with an injury and the Devils aren’t providing additional information. If Clowe is out for some time, the Devils may have to dip into their farm system, having already promoted wingers Steve Bernier and Mike Sislo. Adam Henrique – Tied for the Devils’ scoring lead, with nine points in 12 games, Henrique is out with a lower-body injury. Ales Hemsky – Played a season-high 18:34 for the Stars as Dallas shuffled up lines, moving Patrick Eaves to the top line with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, while Hemsky skated with Jason Spezza and Valeri Nichushkin. Avalanche Deployment - It may be a mere one-game statistical oddity, but the Avalanche started fourth-liners Marc-Andre Cliche, Cody McLeod and Maxime Talbot in the offensive zone for more than 60% of their shifts against the Maple Leafs, while Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Jarome Iginla started 27.2% of their even-strength shifts in the offensive zone. That doesn’t seem to be optimal asset utilization. FIRSTS Cedric Paquette – The Lightning rookie centre scored the first two goals of his career in a 5-2 win over Calgary. Iiro Pakarinen – The 23-year-old Oilers right winger played in his first NHL game, after putting up eight points in seven AHL games, and played all of 5:50 in Boston. A seventh-round pick of the Panthers in 2011, Pakarinen was signed by the Oilers as a free agent in the summer, after scoring 20 goals and 30 points in 60 games for HIFK of the Finnish League last season. Keith Kinkaid – The 25-year-old out of Union College made his NHL debut, playing 10 minutes in relief of Cory Schneider against St. Louis. The Devils have sent vet Scott Clemmensen to the AHL and are giving Kinkaid, who had a .931 save percentage in his first six games of the season for Albany (AHL), a shot at the backup role. Mike Sislo – An undrafted free agent out of the University of New Hampshire, Sislo has played three-plus years in the AHL for the Devils and registered his first career NHL point, in his 15th career game, with an assist against St. Louis Thursday. FANTASY FOCUS A few players in action tonight that you may want in your lineup: Tom Wilson – He’s known for his toughness, but the second-year winger has three points in the past two games and is playing more for the Capitals, with a recent move to the top line, with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, a particularly enticing opportunity. Elias Lindholm – The second-year Hurricanes centre is starting to produce, with five points in the past three games, and he’s played more than 16 minutes in four of the past five games. Tomas Tatar – Hasn’t recorded an assist yet this season, and had only one goal through nine games, but has lit the lamp three times in the past four games, splitting time between lines with Pavel Datsyuk and Justin Abdelkader or Riley Sheahan and Gustav Nyquist. Much of the data included comes from www.war-on-ice.com, www.puckalytics.com, www.hockeystats.ca and www.naturalstattrick.com Scott Cullen can be reached at scott.cullen@bellmedia.ca Cheap Buffalo Sabres Gear Wholesale Calgary Flames Jerseys Cheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche Jerseys Montreal Canadiens Outlet Store Wholesale New Jersey Devils Jerseys Adidas Arizona Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Adidas Boston Bruins Jerseys Cheap Adidas Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys Chicago Blackhawks Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys Dallas Stars Shop Free Shipping Cheap Adidas Detroit Red Wings Jerseys Anaheim Ducks Jerseys China Wholesale Edmonton Oilers Jerseys Florida Panthers Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Minnesota Wild Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Nashville Predators Jerseys Cheap Adidas New York Islanders Jerseys New York Rangers Winter Classic Jerseys Cheap Adidas Ottawa Senators Jerseys Cheap Adidas Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys Wholesale Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys Cheap Adidas San Jose Sharks Jerseys St. Louis Blues Winter Classic Jerseys Wholesale Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys Toronto Maple Leafs Outlet Store Vancouver Canucks Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Adidas Washington Capitals Jerseys Cheap Adidas Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '

WASHINGTON -- In the first major league matchup featuring twentysomething stars Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, it was a guy born two decades earlier, Raul Ibanez, who came through with the biggest hit. Cheap Stars Jerseys China . And after delivering a tiebreaking three-run double as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning to help Trouts Los Angeles Angels beat Harpers Washington Nationals 4-2 Friday, the 41-year-old Ibanez was showered with a particular nickname when he returned to the dugout. "After he got that hit, we were calling him Viejo, -- Old in Spanish," Trout said with a smile. Ibanez might be, um, much more experienced than many of his teammates, but he happens to be leading the Angels this season with 15 RBIs. "These guys make me feel young," he said about his teammates with the Angels, his fifth club in a 19-year career. "And I have five kids at home. Theyre 12 and under, and Im the biggest kid in the house, really. I feel right at home around these guys who are 22, 24, 25 years old. They definitely keep you young." He came through on a night that Trout and Harper went a combined 2 for 8 with zero runs or RBIs, and Albert Pujols went 0 for 5, staying on 498 homers. The 22-year-old Trout, the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year and a two-time MVP runner-up, was 2 for 5 with a pair of singles. The 21-year-old Harper, the 2012 NL rookie honoree, was 0 for 3 with a walk. The two outfielders became pals while teammates in the Arizona Fall League in 2011 and chatted with each other before the game. Neither recent first-round pick in the amateur draft -- Trout was No. 25 overall in 2009, Harper was No. 1 a year later -- was much of a factor once play began, though. Instead, all eyes were on Ibanez, taken in the 36th round in 1992. "Hes been around the block," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. Fernando Salas (1-0) won with a hitless seventh. Joe Smith worked the eighth and Ernesto Frieri pitched the ninth to earn his second save, despite allowing Desmonds leadoff homer. Frieri struck out Denard Span with a man on second to end it. The Nationals led 1-0 entering the eighth, when they brought in reliever Tyler Clippard (1-2). Pujols led off and reached on the first of shortstop Ian Desmonds two errors in the inning. Later, Erick Aybars third hit of the night scored Pujols to even it. After Clippard walked Chris Iannetta to load the bases -- "The biggest thing that hurt me," the reliever said -- the lefty-hitting Ibanez came up. "Everybody likes being up in that spot," said Ibanez, the second-oldest player in the majors, behind Clevelands Jason Giambi, 43. "Thats what you play for, thats what you compete for -- to try to be up in that spot -- since you were a kid in the backyard playing." Nationals manager Matt Williams did not have a lefty reliever ready to go, in anticipation of Ibanez being used there, because he wanted Clippard to get through that inning. "Clips been the eighth-inning guy here for a long time," Williams said. "Certainly (his) track record indicates that hes good against lefties. Hes just as effective against left-handers as he is right-handers. So I want to stay with him there." Ibanez, without a hit in his previous 11 at-bats, connected on a changeup, Clippards specialty. "It is a pitch Im getting hurt on," Clippard said, and wondered aloud about whether hes tipping his pitches to opponents. NOTES: Angels 3B David Freese, who is hitting .143 with a .197 on-base percentage, was out of the starting lineup and struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh. ... The Angels recalled LHP Nick Maronde from Triple-A Salt Lake. He fills the roster spot opened up when the Angels optioned RHP Josh Wall to Salt Lake on Sunday. Cheap Adidas Stars Jerseys . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. Cheap Dallas Stars Jerseys . Ribery, who won UEFAs best player in Europe award for the 2012-13 season, helped Bayern Munich win the Champions League and Bundesliga and German Cup titles. Messi, winner of the last four Ballon dOr awards in voting by coaches, team captains and media, was injured late in the season and could not prevent Barcelona from being beaten by Bayern in the Champions League semifinals. http://www.cheapstarsjerseys.com/ . He wants to seize that opportunity. The trouble is, Firus has had more bumps on the road to Sochi than most. Last year, Firus had the skate of a lifetime in the short program at the Canadian championships when he landed his first triple Axel in competition and finished third in a stacked field.Lets take a quick look at five of the many Canadians in the NCAA Tournament this year. The game in this country just continues to improve and it will be fun to watch it all unfold starting tomorrow. Cant wait! 1. ANDREW WIGGINS (Kansas): This young man has incredible talent and upside with explosivity and skill to spare. Wiggins has terrific feel for the game and can make all the plays. His strength and stamina have been an issue on occasion, but he plays better when challenged. Wiggins has to play with a more consistent motor, but thats expected for such a young guy, whos handled all the hoopla of his frosh year quite well. Hell set the tone for how far his team goes. 2. TYLER ENNIS (Syracuse): Ennis is an intelligent and steady point guard, who makes all the high percentage decisions for you. He plays at a controlled speed and has excellent vision and feel for the game. His poise and composure under pressure is off the charts. Ennis changes speeds well and knows how to make others better with remarkable maturity and leadership ability for a frosh. Hes got to exert his will earlier in games here in the Tournament and get his team going and set the tone. Ennis is truly the straw that stirs the drink for the Cuse. 3. NIK STAUSKAS (Michigan): There are major improvements in Stauskass strength and overall savvy ffrom last season. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys. He can really stroke it and plays with energy and emotion consistently and is an excellent screen-usage guy and knows how to get open. The elevation on his jump shot is terrific and his handle has gotten better, allowing him to create for himself and teammates. Stauskas is coming on strong. 4. MELVIN EJIM (Iowa State): Heres an intriguing guy. Ejims a very good athlete who has good compete level and I love how hes able to finish on the break and play the game inside and out. Ejim attacks the basket hard and I love his energy. Hes gotten better every year, which is a testament to his work ethic and love for the game. Hes a beast on the glass and has really improved his three-point-shooting stroke. Ejims stock is really rising. 5. KEVIN PANGOS (Gonzaga): Pangos is a shooter with deep range and a guy who can get on a roll if you leave him open. Hes a gym rat who gets after it for you. Pangos isnt the biggest guy, yet plays as hard as you can ask and creates his shot well and has a knack for freeing himself up in the five-on-five game and you better not leave him open in transition. Pangos moves his feet and fights through screens on the defensive end and relishes the challenge of getting stops. Hes steady and reliable in every situation. In short, Pangos is a winner. 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